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U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation
In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. 2111 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago, Illinois 60608
(312) 829-1199

 

February 9, 2007

"NEWSPAPER BANDIT" ARRESTED

 

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal  Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Philip J. Cline, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Thomas Dart, Cook County Sheriff announced today the arrest of DUKE A. WALKER, age 33, whose last known address was 5036 North Sheridan Road in Chicago. WALKER was arrested late Wednesday morning, without incident, by CPD Officers  who responded to a robbery alarm at the Chase Bank branch, located at 550 South Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago.

WALKER was charged in a criminal complaint filed yesterday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one (1) count of bank robbery, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, WALKER entered the Chase Bank branch at approximately 11:00 AM, approached a teller and handedher a note announcing a robbery and demanding money. The note implied that he was armed and threatened the teller with harm, if his demands for cash were not met. After receiving approximately $2000 in cash, WALKER fled the bank on foot. Included in the money that he received was a security dye pack, which activated when he exited the bank. WALKER then attempted to flee into the subway, but was apprehended by CPD officers a few blocks away.

WALKER was turned over to members of the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) who conducted additional investigation leading to the filing of the charges announced today. Although he has only been charged with the February 7th robbery, WALKER is believed to be a serial bank robber, dubbed the "Newspaper Bandit", who is responsible for the robbery of at least six (6) other banks in the downtown area and north side of Chicago, dating to September of last year.

Additional thefts linked to the "Newspaper Bandit" are as follows:
                   1. Fifth/Third Bank, 640 West Diversey, 1/12/07.
                   2. North Community Bank, 448 North Wells, 12/1/06.
                   3. Chase Bank, 550 South Dearborn, 11/2/06.
                   4. Fifth/Third Bank, 1 South Dearborn, 10/20/06.
                   5. Fifth/Third Bank, 3601 North Broadway, 10/10/06.
                   6. LaSalle Bank, 515 North LaSalle, 9/22/06.

                  
WALKER appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin Ashman late yesterday afternoon, at which time he was ordered held without bond pending his next scheduled court appearance. WALKER is being housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago. If convicted of the charges pending against him, WALKER faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration.

The Chicago FBI's VCTF is comprised of FBI Special Agents, Detectives from the CPD and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department.                

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: Additional copies of the attached wanted flyer and a copy of the complaint filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI's Press Office at (312) 829-1199.