Chesterton Police have released a surveillance camera photograph of the man suspected of trying to rob the local branch of Chase Bank on Tuesday.

The photo was shot at 9:38 a.m. and shows the suspect entering the branch at 105 W. Indiana Ave., wearing a brown leather coat, brown stocking cap, and blue jeans. It also shows the suspect’s Vandyke beard. He was described as being in his mid-twenties to mid-thirties, 5’ 8’’ to 5’ 10’’ in height, with a thin to medium build.

After entering, Det. Lt. Dave Cincoski told the Chesterton Tribune, the man presented a note to the customer-service rep demanding $50 and $100 bills. The rep, however, told the man that she was not a teller and had no access to cash. At that point the man left. He was not seen entering a vehicle, Cincoski said.

The same man is suspected of successfully robbing the Hebron branch of 1st Source Bank at 111 W. Sigler St. less than 90 minutes later, at 11:02 a.m., when a man entered that bank and similarly presented a note demanding money. The teller complied and the man left with an undetermined amount of cash, Lt. Paul McKamey of the HPD told the Tribune. He was seen leaving on foot.

“It’s the same guy,” McKamey said. “We’ve got photos. It’s a total match.”

Both Cincoski and McKamey said that their departments are investigating the possibility of the man’s involvement in other bank robberies in the region.

In neither job did the suspect display a weapon or imply possession of one.

The choice to rob the local branch of Chase Bank is an odd one given its location, at the intersection of two one-way sidestreets—West Indiana Ave. and Second Street—in a congested Downtown with a traffic signal regulating access to the shortest way out of town—via North Calumet Road—and across a heavily used railroad grade-crossing. Fleeing to the south, via South Calumet Road and then East Porter Ave. to Ind. 49, would on the other hand entail making several turns at two- and four-way stops at intersections with poor lines of sight.

Anyone who was in the area of Chase Bank on Tuesday morning and observed anything unusual or suspicious is urged to contact Cincoski at 926-1136 or McKamey at (219) 996-2747.