Man charged with robbing bank in Northbrook, Illinois; attacking tellers with pepper spray and fire extinguisher
A Chicago man has been charged with robbing a bank in north suburban Northbrook, and attacking tellers with pepper spray and a fire extinguisher.
Emeril England, 25, is charged with one count of bank robbery.
According to the FBI, England walked into the Huntington Bank at 1220 Meadow Road in Northbrook shortly before 9:30 a.m. on May 28, wearing a hoodie, a black hat, black gloves, and what appeared to be fake dreadlocks.
Once inside the bank, he pulled out a water gun, and sprayed two tellers with pepper spray. He then pulled a fire extinguisher out of a black bag and sprayed the two tellers, who both ran into nearby offices.
A short time later, one of the tellers came back out and triggered the bank's alarm.
Meantime, England had stolen $4,915 in cash from an unlocked teller drawer, and fled the scene in a silver Toyota Avalon.
Using surveillance video and license plate reader cameras in the area, Northbrook police were able to track the car to England's apartment in Chicago.
When officers served England with a search warrant, he told them the items they were looking for were under the bed, where police found a plastic bag containing a pellet gun, a dreadlocks wig, a black "SECURITY" hat, a can of pepper spray, a hoodie, a box of black nitrile gloves, and a large amount of cash.
Police arrested England, who admitted to planning the robbery, including by ordering the wig online one week earlier, and bringing the pepper spray to intimidate people in the bank. He explained that when he got to the bank, he went to the restroom and grabbed a fire extinguisher to use to get the tellers away from the bank drawers so he could get to the cash inside.
England made his first court appearance on Monday, and at his detention hearing on Wednesday, a judge ordered him to remain in custody while he awaits trial. The judge also ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation, after the tellers at the bank told the FBI they believed England might be mentally challenged.