The FBI has a suspect in custody tonight following an armed robbery Wednesday afternoon at the First Bank & Trust branch at 741 Main St. in Evanston.
Evanston police say two armed men ran into the bank at 4:52 p.m. Wednesday, announced a holdup and forced bank employees into a back room.
Once there, they threatened the employees and forced them to open the bank’s safe. Police say the robbers then tied up the employees and fled on foot with an unknown amount of cash.
Commander Tom Guenther says police responding to the scene saw two subjects fleeing the area and gave chase, capturing one of them.
He said police also recovered clothing they believe was discarded by the robbers and money they believe was taken in the robbery.
An FBI spokesman says the suspect, who he declined to identify, is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, and that charges may be filed in the case tomorrow.
Evanston police are still looking for the second robber.
Gunther said police are investigating whether the same robbers may have been involved in a holdup at the same bank last week but so far have not established any connection.
Update 6:30 p.m. 5/16/08: Evanston police say the suspect arrested after Wednesday’s bank robbery, Jason Eric Roden, 34, of 12209 S. Wallace in Chicago, has now been charged with three counts of aggravated robbery and is scheduled to appear in district court in Skokie on June 11.