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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January 24, 2001 "Paper Work Bandit" Arrested Kathleen L. McChesney, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of an individual believed to be the "Paper Work Bandit". REGINALD R. THOMAS, age 44, of 1305 North Mason in Chicago, was taken into custody by FBI Agents, earlier today. He has been charged in a criminal complaint filed in U. S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Bank Robbery relating to the January 16th theft from the Mid-America bank in Wheaton. The "Paper Work Bandit", who is believed responsible for as many as nine robberies and one attempted robbery dating to December 27, 2000, has been the subject of an extensive manhunt by the FBI and local authorities. THOMAS was taken into custody late yesterday afternoon by the Elk Grove Village Police Department, after he was spotted by a patrol officer driving in a suspicious manner near an local bank. The vehicle that he was driving, a 1990 black Dodge Dynasty, matched the description of a suspected getaway car that THOMAS had used in a previous robbery. In announcing the arrest, SAC McChesney cited the outstanding work of the Elk Grove Village Police Department in recognizing and arresting THOMAS and the coordinated efforts of the FBI and the suburban departments affected by the "Paper Work Bandit" in solving this case. "This is a text book example of how State and Federal Law enforcement can and should work together to solve multi-jurisdictional investigations" said McChesney. THOMAS appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow in Chicago, who ordered him held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance on Monday, January 29th. Investigation by the FBI and local police is continuing. 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. |
