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. |
2111 West Roosevelt Road Chicago, Illinois 60608 |
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June 9, 2006 TWO CHARGED IN SUBURBAN BANK ROBBERY SPREE Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of GEORGE T. LOY, Jr., age 32, and LESA M. HELSON, age 29, both of whom reside at 7046 West 87th Street in Bridgeview, Illinois. LOY and HELSON were arrested yesterday morning, without incident, by members of the Southwest Major Case Unit (SWMCU) Task Force near 7600 South Cicero Avenue in Chicago. LOY and HELSON were arrested on outstanding local warrants. They were subsequently turned over to the FBI and were charged in a criminal complaint filed this morning in U.S. District Court in Chicago with the May 5, 2006 armed robbery of the Charter One Bank branch, located at 8739 South Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview. They are also suspects in as many as six (6) other armed bank robberies in the west and southwest suburbs during March, April and May of this year, though no additional charges have been filed. According to the complaint, LOY entered the Charter One branch dressed in women's clothing and brandishing a handgun. He then took control of the bank, obtaining over $11,000 in cash from multiple teller drawers. He then fled the bank through the front door, entering a waiting vehicle that was driven by HELSON. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported during the theft. LOY and HELSON appeared before U. S. Magistrate Judge Michael T. Mason in Chicago, earlier today, at which time they were ordered held without bond, pending their next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charges filed against them, LOY and HELSON face a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration. In announcing these arrests and the filing of charges, Mr. Grant wishes to express his appreciation to the SWMCU Task Force and the Downers Grove, Illinois Police Department, whose officers were instrumental in the successful resolution of this investigation. The Southwest Major Crimes Unit (SWMCU) is a multi-jurisdictional task force that was established in 1991 to investigate both violent and major property crimes in the southwest suburban area of Chicago. Under the direction of William Turner, Deputy Chief of the Palos Heights Police Department, the SWMCU is comprised of Officers and Detectives from the Alsip, Burbank, Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Tinley Park and Worth Police Departments, along with the Cook County Sheriff's Police and Moraine Valley Community College Campus Police. 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 in this case is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 829-1199. |
