Chicago FBI Press Office

Phone: (312) 829-1199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2008

KENTUCKY MAN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SUBURBAN BANK ROBBERY                           

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Daniel McCollum, Chief of the LaGrange Park, Illinois Police Department (LPPD) announced today the arrest of ROBERT J. HEINZ, age 51, whose last known address was in Lexington , Kentucky . HEINZ was arrested yesterday, without incident, by officers of the LPPD, who were responding to a robbery alarm at the Fifth Third Bank branch, located at 545 Sherwood Avenue in LaGrange Park .

HEINZ was charged in a criminal complaint filed late yesterday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Bank Robbery, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, an individual subsequently identified as HEINZ entered the bank branch just after 10:00 AM . He approached a teller and slipped her a note, announcing a robbery and demanding cash. He then made a similar oral demand to the bank employee, instructing her on the denomination of the bills which he wanted. After obtaining in excess of $8,300.00, HEINZ retrieved his initial demand note and fled the bank. No weapon was displayed and no injuries were reported during the robbery.

Several bank employees watched as HEINZ entered a black Ford pick-up truck that was parked nearby and occupied by several other individuals. The description of this vehicle, including a partial license plate number and the last direction of travel, were relayed to the LPPD. A responding officer spotted the vehicle traveling north in the 900 block of LaGrange Road . The vehicle was stopped and HEINZ, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was determined to match the description of the robber. A subsequent search of the vehicle discovered evidence linking HEINZ to the robbery. The driver and passengers in the vehicle were questioned and released after it was determined that they were not involved in the robbery.

In announcing this arrest, Mr. Grant wants to recognize the LaGrange Park Police Department for their prompt response to the emergency call placed by bank employees. “The professionalism and dedication displayed by the responding officers led to the apprehension of a potentially violent individual and certainly prevented him from committing additional robberies” said Grant.

HEINZ appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow in Chicago late yesterday, at which time he was formally charged. HEINZ was ordered held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charge filed against him, HEINZ faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration.

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’s press office at (312) 829-1199.