McHenry County Blog

Crystal Lake resident Silk Pauline Lumpkins was arrested today in Fox River Grove. She spent the money “to buy clothes, shoes, food, and bike for her children,” according to the affidavit of FBI Special Agent Herbert E. Hogberg, III, which is below:

I, HERBERT E. HOGBERG, III, personally appearing before United States
Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney and being duly sworn on oath state as follows:

1. I am a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

2. The information set forth in this affidavit includes information provided to me by other law enforcement officers and agents and my own personal observations and interviews of witnesses.

3. I have been informed that on May 26, 2010, the Chase Bank, located 300 Northwest Highway, in Cary, Illinois, was robbed. The robber entered the bank at approximately 2:20 p.m. The robber first went to a self-service desk and began writing on a piece of paper. The robber crumpled this first piece of paper and then began writing on a second piece of paper.

When she finished writing, the robber approached the teller station of the victim teller (Teller #1). After exchanging a few words with Teller #1, the robber handed Teller #1 a note which said something to the effect of:

“If you don’t want to die today, give me all your money. You have 30 seconds to do this.”

The teller then removed $5,876 in cash from her drawer and handed the money to the robber. The robber then placed the money into a blue “Chase” deposit bag that she had brought with her. The robber took the bag and walked out of the bank.

4. I have interviewed Teller #1. Teller #1 stated that the robber appeared to be a white female, but possibly could have been a man dressed as a woman. Teller #1 stated that the robber was approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and had long blonde hair. Teller #1 further stated that the robber was hearing heavy covering make-up on face, as if covering burns or acne scars black. Teller #1 further stated that the robber was wearing a black baseball cap, black gloves, and a red flannel long sleeve shirt

5. I have personally observed still photographs of the May 26, 2010, robbery taken by Chase Bank’s surveillance camera. The robber appears to have long blonde hair.

The photos also show that the robber is wearing a dark colored baseball cap with a distinctive insignia on the front. In addition, the photos show a blue bank deposit bag lying on the teller counter between the robber and Teller #1. The word “CHASE” is visible on the bag.

6. The robbery was publicized in the local media and the bank surveillance photos were shown in the media.

7. On June 2, 2010, the Fox River Grove Police Department received 9-1-1 calls from two individuals who were calling from the Chase Bank located 712 Northwest Highway in Fox River Grove, Illinois. One of the callers identified herself as an employee of the bank and provided her name to the operator.

This bank employee stated that she and a co-worker had observed a woman with long blonde hair, underneath a black baseball cap, wearing blue jeans and a blue button-down denim shirt, and having thick white face paint all over her face, acting strangely outside the bank. Specifically, the bank employee stated that the woman walked slowly past the front entrance of the bank. A short time later, the bank employee saw this same woman again walk slowly in front of the bank, pause, look inside, but then walk on. The bank employee further stated that this woman strongly resembled the picture of the person who had robbed the Cary Branch of Chase Bank the preceding week.

8. The second 9-1-1 caller described herself as a customer of the Chase Bank in Fox River Grove. This caller also described a suspicious person walking around outside the bank and gave a description of the woman that was similar to that of the bank employee.

9. Members of the Fox River Grove Police Department went to Chase Bank in response to the 9-1-1 calls. While in the area of the bank, an additional witness approached the officers and advised them that she had seen a suspicious looking woman, with makeup or a mask, a hat, and a blue money bag under her left arm. This witness stated that the suspicious looking woman had walked up the hill from Foxmoor Crossing (the strip mall where Chase Bank is located) toward School Street.

10. The police officers walked up the hill toward an apartment complex located at 601 School Street. The officers began walking the area on foot, looking for the woman that had been described to them by the 9-1-1 callers and the witness outside the bank.

11. While walking through the parking lot of the apartment complex, Sergeant Domagala observed a head pop up in the rear of a tan Chevy van. The officers ordered the person out of the vehicle. At first there was no response. The officers again ordered the person to exit the vehicle. Approximately ten seconds later, a woman, later identified as Silk Pauline Lumpkins, emerged from the rear passenger door of the van, holding her hands in the air. The officers placed Lumpkins in handcuffs and performed a pat-down search.

12. When Lumpkins came out of the van, she had heavy covering make-up on her face, and was wearing blue jeans and a blue denim button-down shirt.

13. Shortly after Lumpkins was hand-cuffed, Fox River Grove Chief of Police Lukasik asked Lumpkins:

“What brings you to Fox River Grove?”

Lumpkins replied something to the effect of that she had seen in the newspaper that someone had robbed the bank in Cary, so I came here dressed like the robber to see if anyone would notice.

14. Sergeant Domagala looked inside the open door of the van and saw a blonde colored wig lying the floor.

15. The officers placed Lumpkins in a squad car and transported her to the Fox River Grove Police Department. The officers also notified the Cary Police Department of the situation. While at the Fox River Grove Police Department, Lumpkins gave her name as “Pauline Wilson.”

16. At the Fox River Grove Police Department, Sergeant Domagala advised Lumpkins of her Miranda rights. Sergeant Domagala asked Lumpkins in she understood her ights, and Lumpkins responded that she was not waiving her rights. Sergeant Domagala then explained that he just needed to ensure that she had been given her rights and that she understood them. Lumpkins then signed a “Statement of Miranda Rights” using the name of Pauline Wilson.

17. A search of Lumpkins person was performed at the Fox River Grove Police Department by Cary Police Officer Eiring. During this search, Lumpkins made an unsolicited statement that she had gone to the Fox River Grove Chase Bank because she’d seen a news article about the robbery of the Chase Bank in Cary and decided to dress as the robber to see if anyone would notice. Officer Eiring had not previously asked Lumpkins any questions. After Lumpkins comment, Officer Eiring did not ask her any questions.

18. A short time later, Officer Panvino asked Lumpkins if she would give consent to search her vehicle. Lumpkins agreed and signed a “Consent to Search” form using the name Pauline Wilson. The form which Lumpkins signed advises individuals of their right to refuse consent to search.

19. Officers of the Fox River Grove Police Department went back to School Street and searched the tan Chevy van. A blonde wig was found on van floor behind the rear passenger seat. Black gloves and black baseball cap were found on the rear driver’s side seat, under a child car seat. A blue Chase bank bag was found underneath the driver’s seat.

20. I have personally examined the items taken from the van by the Fox River Grove police officers. The black baseball cap has an insignia which appears to match the insignia on the black baseball cap of the robber shown in the surveillance photos from the May 26, 2010, robbery. The blue Chase bank bag appears to be identical the bank bag shown in the surveillance photos from the May 26, 2010, robbery. The wig appears to match the hair of the robber which can be seen in the surveillance photos from the May 26, 2010, robbery.

21. While Lumpkins was still at the Fox River Grove Police Department, the officers determined that the name that appears on her driver’s license and photo ID is Silk P. Lumpkins.

22. At some point during the afternoon, Lumpkins was transported to the Cary Police Department so that a “Live Scan” of Lumpkins fingerprints could be performed.

23. After the “Live Scan” was performed, Lumpkins was placed in a room. Prior to being placed in the room, Lumpkins was advised that the room was under video and audio surveillance. Sometime later, Detective Williamson saw on the video that Lumpkins was attempting to use the telephone in the room. Detective Williamson entered the room and told Lumpkins that she could not use the phone at this point. Lumpkins then asked Detective Williamson how much longer it would be and whether someone could tell her what was going on.

24. Detective Williamson advised me of Lumpkins’ request. FBI Special Agent Terry Heatherman, Detective Chad Fetzer, and I then entered the room with Lumpkins. I identified myself as an FBI agent, showed her my credentials, and asked if she was willing to speak with us. Lumpkins stated that she would talk with us. I advised her of her Miranda rights by reading a written Advice of Rights form. Lumpkins read the form with me. She stated that she understood her rights, was willing to talk with us without the presence of a lawyer, and signed the Advice of Rights form acknowledging her rights.

25. Initially, Lumpkins denied that she had robbed the Cary Branch of Chase Bank.

She claimed that she had gone to the Fox River Grove Branch of Chase Bank that morning dressed as the Cary robber in order to get a citizen to call the police. Later during the interview, Lumpkins admitted that she had, in fact, committed the robbery of the Cary Branch of Chase Bank on May 26, 2010. She stated that she had used the money from the robbery to buy clothes, shoes, food, and bike for her children. She stated that she had made these purchases at Sam’s Club and several other stores. Lumpkins later gave a written statement in which she admitted the robbery of the Cary Branch of Chase Bank.

26. During the interview, Lumpkins gave written consent to search her residence located at 680 Blackthorn Drive in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

27. Later that same evening, detectives from the Cary and Crystal Lake Police Departments accompanied Agent Heatherman and me as we searched Lumpkins’ residence. I found another blue Chase bank deposit bag inside Lumpkins’ purse. I also found a receipt from Sam’s Club, dated May 28, 2010, in the amount of $299.50, inside the blue Chase Bank bag. The receipt indicates that $300 cash was tendered.

28. I have been informed that the deposits of the Chase Bank in Cary were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at the time of the robbery on May 26, 2010.

29. This affidavit is made solely for the purpose of establishing probable cause and does not set forth every single fact that has been gathered during the course of this investigation.

HERBERT E. HOGBERG, III
Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation