Bank robber sprays tellers with fire extinguisher and pepper spray, takes $4,915 from drawer

Federal officials say a Chicago man sprayed bank tellers with pepper spray and a fire extinguisher to force them from their posts, allowing him to steal nearly $5,000 from a cash drawer.

Emeril England allegedly admitted to the robbery after FBI agents and Northbrook police arrived at his home in the 2600 block of West Touhy last week.

Around 9:30 a.m. on May 28, a man entered Huntington Bank at 1220 Meadow Road in Northbrook and sprayed tellers with a water pistol filled with pepper spray, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit.

“Dude, are you okay?” one teller asked, initially believing the man might have mental health issues. That notion was dispelled when the robber discharged a fire extinguisher toward the tellers because “he did not get the reaction he wanted” by using pepper spray, the agent wrote.

Both tellers locked themselves in a room until the suspect left. Upon returning to their stations, the tellers discovered $4,915 missing from one drawer. The other drawer appeared untouched.

Northbrook police identified a vehicle suspected of being used in the robbery that was registered to England at a Highland Park address. Using license plate reader data to track the vehicle’s movements before and after the crime, authorities located England at his Chicago apartment.

As investigators entered his apartment, England allegedly told them the things they were looking for were under his bed.

Police found a pellet gun, a dreadlocks wig, a security hat, pepper spray, gloves, and a large amount of cash in a bag under the bed. England reportedly told investigators he didn’t take the pellet gun to the bank because “he thought some people were not intimidated by a gun,” according to the FBI agent’s affidavit.

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