U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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August 5, 2002 Tip Leads to Arrest of South Side Robber Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Terry G. Hillard, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) announce today the arrest of TOMMY V. SEWARD, age 35, of 9037 South Constance in Chicago. SEWARD, who is believed to be the "South Side Robber", turned himself in to Chicago Police Officers Saturday afternoon, after learning that FBI Agents and CPD Officers had been looking for him in connection with a string of bank robberies. SEWARD was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Friday afternoon, with one count of bank robbery. This charge relates to the July 30, 2002 robbery of a TCF Bank branch located at 87 West 87th street in Chicago.SEWARD became a suspect in this and five other robberies of south side Chicago banks during the month of July, when a Chicago area resident saw a local media account about the "South Side Robber" and called the FBI, identifying SEWARD as the individual depicted in a bank surveillance photograph of the robber. SEWARD appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier, earlier today, and was ordered held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance on Thursday. A complete listing of robberies committed by the "South Side Robber" is attached. If convicted of the charges, SEWARD faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against SEWARD is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
