(Photo credit: Vanderburgh County IN Sheriff’s Office)
Evansville Police have arrested a man accused of robbing a Chase Bank in Edwardsville, Illinois, just east of St. Louis.
According to authorities, Evansville Police were contacted Tuesday to assist with an investigation into a bank robbery that occurred around 2 p.m. A man wearing a disguise allegedly entered the Chase Bank, handed a teller a note demanding money, and left the bank with more than $4,000 in cash.
Investigators determined the suspect fled the scene in a gray Nissan Sentra displaying a stolen Illinois license plate, which was later switched to an Indiana plate.
During the early morning hours on Wednesday, Evansville Police spotted a vehicle matching that description near East Virginia Street. Officers initiated a traffic stop for a violation and detained the driver, identified as 51-year-old Robert Emil Neal of Washington, Indiana.
Police say Neal matched the physical characteristics of the suspect seen in the bank’s surveillance footage and was found with more than $700 in cash. An affidavit states Neal admitted he had previously served time in prison for a bank robbery.
Following his detention, officers obtained search warrants for Neal’s vehicle and hotel room. During the searches, police reportedly recovered a notebook showing impressions of a robbery note consistent with what the bank teller described, along with oversized jeans, a padded suit designed to mimic body fat, and a wig matching items seen in surveillance images.
Neal is currently charged with Theft and is being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail. Court records indicate he also faces charges in Madison County, Illinois, including Financial Institution Robbery, Possession of a Stolen License Plate, and Felony Theft.