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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December 10, 2001 Three Arrested, Charged in Bank Robbery Spree Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today the arrest of JAMES L. CARROLL, age 54, of Chicago, Illinois; PHILLIP E. BRIGHT, age 40, of Alsip, Illinois and FELICIEA T. THURMAN, age 44, of Chicago, Illinois. All three have been charged in criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, with participation in the December 5th robbery of the Fifth Third Bank branch, located at 5235 West 63rd Street in Chicago and the December 7th robbery of the Bank One branch, located at 10440 South Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn. According to the complaint, CARROLL and BRIGHT robbed the Bank One branch of an undetermined amount of cash Friday afternoon. A witness managed to record the license plate number of the vehicle they used for their escape, and provided this information to responding Oak Lawn Police Officers. This information, along with a description of the robbers, was then broadcast over police emergency radios. A Chicago Police Department (CPD) unit, on routine patrol, spotted the vehicle in the vicinity of 76th and Marshfield in Chicago, at which time Carroll and BRIGHT were arrested. THURMAN was located and arrested by CPD Officers, early Saturday afternoon, in the vicinity of 51st and Loomis in Chicago. THURMAN's arrest was based on an outstanding Federal warrant, filed earlier in the day. All three individuals were subsequently turned over to the FBI and have appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sidney Schenkier, who order them held without bond, pending their next scheduled court appearance. The FBI is investigating possible links between these individuals and seven (7) other unsolved bank robberies in Chicago, dating back to September of this year. SAC Kneir would like to recognize and commend the Oak Lawn and Chicago Police Departments for their diligent work in making these arrests. 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: Copies of the complaints filed against CARROLL, BRIGHT and THURMAN are available from the Chicago FBI Press Office, (312) 786-2645. |
