Two charged in Northwest Side bank robbery

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Surveillance photo provided by the FBI from the Jan. 20 Chase robbery

Updated: March 10, 2012 8:31AM

Two men were charged Saturday for stealing more than $5,000 in a Northwest Side bank robbery involving a chase that ended at Oak Park and Grand avenues.

Lester Warfield, 47, of 1519 N. Spaulding Ave., and Scott Hawkins, 40, of 17954 Vista Dr. in Country Club Hills, were each charged with one count of felony bank robbery Saturday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, according to an FBI statement.

The men handed a note to tellers that said they had a gun and demanded money and made off with about $5,490, according to a criminal complaint filed Saturday. One of the men even threatened to shoot a customer.

Chicago Police apprehended the two after they allegedly robbed the Chase Bank branch at 4854 W. Irving Park Rd. about 1:30 p.m., the FBI said.

Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said the robbers fled the bank and police captured them after a pursuit near North Oak Park and West Grand avenues.

Police responding to a robbery alarm at the bank located a vehicle matching the description of a get-away car provided by witnesses, the statement said. Three others in the vehicle were released without being charged.

The two men were also suspected of robbing the Chase Bank branch at 1230 N. Milwaukee Ave. on Jan. 20 and Jan. 30.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan R. Nolan ordered both men held without bond, the statement said. Both are next scheduled to appear in court at 3 p.m. Thursday.

If convicted, the men face a possible prison sentence of 20 years in prison, the statement said.

— Sun-Times Media