Chesterton Police may have a lead in Tuesday’s robbery of the local branch of Chase Bank at 105 W. Indiana Ave.

According to police, at 9:17 a.m.—21 minutes before a man walked into the bank’s customer-service office with a note demanding money—a witness in the ATM lane observed an oddly parked vehicle, located on the building’s east side, its driver’s door roughly even with the building’s north face. The vehicle, described as an emerald green Buick, possibly a LeSabre, was not parked in a space but was in the lot, the witness advised.

At 9:38 a.m. a bearded man wearing a leather coat, stocking cap, and blue jeans entered the office and handed the customer-service rep a note demanding $50 and $100 bills. He left without incident when the rep told him that she was not a teller and had no access to cash.

Less than 90 minutes later, at 11:02 a.m., the Hebron branch of 1st Source Bank at 111 W. Sigler St. was robbed by a similarly bearded man wearing a leather coat, stocking cap, and blue jeans.

In neither case was the man witnessed leaving in a vehicle.

Both the CPD and the HPD believe the two bank jobs to be related and are investigating the possibility that the suspect may have been involved in robberies of other banks in Northwest Indiana.

Anyone who was in the area of Chase Bank on Tuesday morning and witnessed anything unusual or suspicious is urged to contact Det. Lt. Dave Cincoski at 926-1136.

Posted 1/14/2010