MOTORCYCLE BANDIT ARRESTED

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Michael J. O'Connell, Chief of Police, Tinley Park Police Department; and William Villanova, Chief of Police, Oak Lawn Police Department announced today the arrest of a suspected serial bank robber, believed responsible for the armed robbery of at least three (3) banks since June of this year.

Subsequent investigation by detectives from the Oak Lawn Police Department led to the identification of ARTHUR G. FITAK age 26, of 17053 Oconto, Tinley Park, Illinois. Upon arriving at FITAK's address on November 7th, detectives observed FITAK hastily fleeing from his driveway and a short pursuit ensued. FITAK was quickly arrested without incident by Oak Lawn police officers. FITAK was charged in a criminal complaint today in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Bank Robbery, which is a felony offense. The charge relates to the June 28th robbery of the Citizens Financial Bank located at 7231 W. 171st Street, Tinley Park, Illinois.

According to the complaint, investigators were led to FITAK, dubbed the "Motorcycle Bandit" through bank surveillance photos and combined descriptions from numerous bank robbery witnesses. FITAK had been dubbed the "Motorcycle Bandit" as he used a Suzuki dirt bike in at least two of the robberies. Although he has only been charged with the June 28th robbery in Tinley Park, FITAK also is a suspect in the November 7th robbery of the First Bank branch, located at 5665 W. 95th Street , Oak Lawn, Illinois.

FITAK appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow on Monday, at which time he was ordered held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charge filed against him, FITAK faces a possible sentence of up to twenty (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 Press Office at (312) 829-1199.

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