Mt. Prospect man charged in bank robbery

A Mount Prospect resident had called in a bomb hoax Thursday morning in hopes of diverting police away from a bank robbery he planned to commit, police said Friday.

Gabriel Thompson, 32, of 503 Enterprise Drive, made an anonymous call that he'd planted a bomb at a day-care center about 10 minutes before robbing First Bank, 2100 S. Elmhurst Road, police said.

Thompson was charged with one count of bank robbery Friday in Chicago and it's expect he will be charged with the bomb hoax as well, said Officer William Roscop, Mount Prospect police spokesman.

Shortly before 11 a.m., he gave a teller a note that said, "Put the money in the bag. No dye packs or homing devices," according to a federal court affidavit filed Friday by FBI Special Agent Dana Bloss.

After the teller complied, he stuffed the money into a bag that he'd brought before escaping on his bicycle. He took $5,269, the FBI said.

He had planned to make it back to his apartment, which was less than two blocks from the bank. But he saw a number of people outside the bank, police said.

So, police said, he headed six blocks in the opposite direction before stopping in a business, asking if he could use the telephone.

He tried to call a buddy, who worked at a nearby business in the hopes his friend could call him a cab to return him to his apartment, Roscop said.

When the friend didn't answer, Thompson headed to his friend's work to find him. Along the way, Thompson stuffed the money into his jacket and pockets, losing about $80 of it. He then ditched the bike and bag.

While canvassing the area, police found a witness who reported that the robber may have come into the business to use a phone, Roscop said.

Police checked the last number called and then went there, finding Thompson in the business's parking lot, Roscop said. Thompson's friend was not at the business at the time, he said.

Thompson was arrested after a bank employee positively identified him. He was then turned over to the FBI for federal prosecution.

Roscop said Thompson's belief that police would be preoccupied by the bomb hoax wouldn't have worked because officers are in all corners of the village, so there's coverage when more than one crime breaks at a time. And police agencies in adjoining towns are available to joined in responding to a bank robbery.