Police: Bully Bandit strikes Riverside bank for second time

RIVERSIDE – Police believe a suspect known as "The Bully Bandit" has struck again following a Thursday morning armed robbery of Bank of America, 3300 S. Harlem Ave., in Riverside.

Police said the suspect entered the bank at about 11:23 a.m. Thursday wearing a scarf that covered half his face and demanded money from a bank employee. According to police them man inferred that he had a handgun, but no weapon was shown during the robbery.

At one point, the suspect told a cashier to hurry up getting the money or he would start killing customers, police said.

The offender was given cash and fled from the bank on foot toward East Burlington Street. The offender was last seen on foot headed southbound on Harlem and then east toward Berwyn.

The Bully Bandit was described as Hispanic man, approximately 5-feet 7-inches tall, of medium build and was wearing a dark colored or grey Chicago Bears hooded sweatshirt.

The Bank of America branch was locked down by Riverside police following the robbery and remained closed. The FBI was also contacted and responded to the scene.

Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said investigators were checking all businesses in the area for outside video cameras to determine if the suspect was caught on video footage outside of the bank.

The suspect is believed to be the same man who robbed the same bank on May 2, 2013, at which time he displayed a handgun.

The suspect was given the nick name of the Bully Bandit because of the abrasive language and threats he issues during robberies.

Police from Berwyn, Lyons, North Riverside and Stickney assisted in the search for the suspect, who was not located.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Riverside police at 708 447 2127 or the FBI at
312-421-6700.