Police release images from Urbana bank robbery

Sat, 07/09/2011 - 12:53pm | Paul Wood, staff writer,

UPDATED 1 p.m. Saturday.

URBANA — Police on Saturday released images from a bank camera of a robbery in Urbana on Friday.

And they're appealing to the public for any information about the robber.

About 1:53 p.m., a robber entered First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, 601 S. Vine St., Urbana and handed a note to a teller demanding money. He also repeated the demand verbally, Urbana Police Lt. Richard Surles said.

He did not appear to be armed, and no one was injured. It's banking policy not to release the amount of money taken.

Surles said tellers described the robber as a black man in his 20s, 6 feet tall, with a skinny to medium build, wearing a black shirt, jeans, black shoes and sunglasses.

He ran out the south door of the bank and continued in that direction for at least a while on foot. He was last seen heading east on Oregon from Vine Street.

There was one customer in the bank at the time, who police said was unaware that a robbery was occurring.

The Ilinois State Police was sending crime technicians, Surles said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Urbana police at 384-2320 or Crimestoppers (where you can leave tips anonymously) at 373-TIPS.

Categories (2):News, Courts, Police, and Fire

Location (3):Champaign County, Local, Urbana

Tags (2):bank robbery, Paul Wood

Comments

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urbanaman wrote on July 08, 2011 at 9:07 pm

How did this kid not get caught? The cop shop is only about 2 blocks away! Surely this bank has a silent alarm system.

samlowry5611 wrote on July 09, 2011 at 8:07 am

I overheard in a restaurant he was caught, but you wouldn't know it by this article. C'mon Gazette, timely news please!

Mike Howie wrote on July 09, 2011 at 1:07 pm

Thanks for the comment. Police are still looking for him as of shortly after noon on Saturday, when they released images from the bank camera and asked that anyone with information contact them.

Mike Howie
online editor

djames354 wrote on July 09, 2011 at 1:07 pm

you overheard it in a resteraunt so it must be true right?

IU1977 wrote on July 09, 2011 at 2:07 pm

Fortunately, we have the Peoria Journal Star to tell us about the guy who kidnapped his girlfriend, drove her to Champaign and then shot himself. The NG sure wouldnt be able to tell us about it.

Nern wrote on July 09, 2011 at 3:07 pm

"He also repeated the demand verbally." The writer should have written "orally." The note itself was verbal. The sentence would only be correct if the robber had passed a picture of a teller handing over money.

Strikentheclinch wrote on July 10, 2011 at 9:07 am

What are you, a critic wannabe? Take some college Lit & English courses. You take medicine "orally". When you speak, it's verbally, therefore, "he repeated the demand verbally"
Get the idea?

MrSanchez wrote on July 10, 2011 at 10:07 am

nasty hate-filled comments. welcome to Champaign County, citizen comments, and the News Gazette.

natebaux wrote on July 11, 2011 at 5:07 am

your posts have something in common. you seem to enjoy sharing your dissatisfaction with the community, its leaders, and this publication. have you ever taken any steps to try and make it better?

#10

Nern wrote on July 12, 2011 at 1:07 am

"Verbally" means "using words." So it covers both writing and speaking. "Orally" refers to the mouth. That's why you take medicine "orally."