Stories about crime in Chicago are nothing new, particularly these days. But one string of incidents that have taken place on the city’s Magnificent Mile recently have drawn a lot of attention, including from the FBI. Back on September 19th, a large Black man with a handgun walked into a Citibank on Michigan Avenue and robbed the tellers. He escaped before the police could respond. On October 11, someone walked into a different Citibank further up the street and similarly robbed it. Then on November 7, the same bank was hit again. Last Friday, another Citibank branch even further up Michigan Avenue also experienced an armed robbery. Here’s the real kicker to the story. All of the robberies were pulled off by the same guy. And now the FBI is asking for help in finding him. (CBS News)

The FBI is looking for a man they say has been going up and down the most iconic parts of Michigan Avenue robbing banks on multiple occasions in recent months.

The most recent incident happened Friday morning.

With the holiday shopping bringing out the big crowds, authorities say it is critical to catch the man before he hits again.

The most recent robbery happened at 10:10 a.m. at the Citibank branch at 539 N. Michigan Ave. – between Ohio Street and the Grand Avenue overpass on the Magnificent Mile.

I’m not featuring this character because there’s anything admirable going on here. We’re not talking about Robin Hood. But you do almost have to be stunned by the sheer audacity. All of these robberies are taking place during banking hours when the Magnificent Mile tends to be packed. This guy doesn’t even bother wearing a mask. He just strolls in, pulls out a pistol, demands the money from the till, and leaves, blending in with the crowds outside.

The FBI has him on camera during all four of the heists, so it’s definitely the same guy. It would be shocking if he doesn’t turn out to be a local resident unless he’s willing to travel a great distance to commit his crimes and then make the return journey with his bag full of cash. Surely somebody must know him from around the city, right? They’ve been plastering his picture all over the place, but it seems that no one has stepped forward to identify him yet.

We also have to wonder why he’s only hitting Citibank branches when there are so many other banks along the Mag Mile. Are they particularly vulnerable to robberies or could he perhaps have some sort of grudge against the company? Citibank does employ armed security guards. How has this guy walked in four times and pulled out a weapon without a guard intervening? Something doesn’t add up here.

The FBI says that this isn’t some young, upcoming gang member. The suspect is described as being roughly sixty years old, with graying hair and a beard. He wears a black, puffy jacket with a small Reebok logo on it and a wool cap. His picture is at the top of this post. If anybody out there recognizes him, the FBI would like to hear from you. You can call them at 312-421-6700. You can also submit a tip online. They really do need to track this character down. He doesn’t hesitate to whip out a firearm when he comes into the bank, so sooner or later somebody might wind up being shot.