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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March 16, 2004 Serial Bank Robber Strikes Again Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is again asking for the public's help in locating GERALD DELANO WILSON, who is wanted for the November 12, 2003 robbery of the MB Financial Bank branch, located at 1 South Wacker Drive in Chicago. WILSON is also wanted by authorities in the State of New York for the robbery of nine (9) banks there and is suspected of involvement in as many as four (4) other robberies in the loop area of Chicago. WILSON was charged in a criminal complaint filed in December in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Bank Robbery, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, WILSON entered the MB Financial branch shortly before noon, approached a teller and handed her a note demanding money. WILSON implied that he was armed and threatened the teller with harm if his demands were not met. After receiving an unspecified amount of cash, WILSON fled the bank on foot, disappearing into the noontime crowd. The most recent theft linked to WILSON was yesterday's robbery of the First Bank branch, located at 20 North Wacker Drive in Chicago. According to witnesses, an individual believed to be WILSON entered the bank at noon, approached a teller and handed her a note announcing a robbery and demanding money. Although his note implied that he was armed, no weapon was displayed and no injuries were reported. As he has in past thefts, WILSON disappeared into the noontime crowd. Witnesses reported WILSON as wearing a black waist length coat and black hat. Other robberies that WILSON is suspected of having committed are the December 29, 2003 theft from the First Bank branch, located at 20 North Wacker; the January 16, 2004 robbery of the Builders Bank, located at 225 North LaSalle Street; and the March 1, 2004 robbery of the MB Financial Bank branch, located at 2 South LaSalle Street, all in Chicago. WILSON is described as a black/male, 60-65 years of age, 5'6" tall, 150 pounds, black/grey hair with a mustache. He has worn wire rimmed glasses and a hat during all of his Chicago area robberies. WILSON is believed to be without a permanent address and is possibly staying at transient hotels in and around the downtown area. The search for WILSON is being conducted by the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF), which is comprised of FBI Special Agents, Detectives from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department (CCSPD). Anyone recognizing Wilson or having any information about his current whereabouts is asked to call the FBI at (312) 431-1333. 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 WILSON and additional photographs of him are available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
