Highland Park police are searching for a colored man who wore large sunglasses and a black curly wig with red highlights during a robbery of a PNC Bank in Highland Park Thursday morning, authorities said.Meanwhile, police refused to comment on an alert the department sent to the chamber of commerce about a “device” left at the bank by the robber, which was examined by investigators.
Police say the man entered the bank lobby at 8:08 a.m., presented a teller with a note, and implied that he had a gun. He told the teller to give him the cash from the drawer and the teller complied, police said.
He was last seen walking west on Central Avenue, said police, who noted that no one was injured during the robbery.
Police say witnesses described the man as black and in his late 20s. He’s about 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a medium build. He was wearing a dark or black jacket, a white undershirt and blue jeans. He was carrying a blue bag with silver zippers and handle.
The bank robbery caused North Shore District 112 to lock down three of its elementary schools this morning, school officials said. Highland Park High School was also on lock down, officials said. Highland Park policed lifted the lock downat about 10:30 a.m., school officials said.
The “soft” lock down at Indian Trails Elementary, Elm Place Elementary and Green Bay Road Early Childhood Center meant that doors on the schools were locked and children weren’t allowed outside. All visitors were received at the main entrance only, and had to be escorted through the school by officials, according to District 112 spokeswoman Andrea Rosen.
The PNC robbery is the second bank heist in Highland Park this month.
On Sept. 1, the Chase Bank at 513 Central Ave., was robbed by a a man who implied he had a gun and directed the teller to hand him cash from the drawer. After getting an undetermined amount of cash, he fled on foot, police said.
