FBI: Bank robber dubbed the ‘Play-Along Bandit’ charged

A bank robber nicknamed the “Play-Along Bandit,” who was suspected of at least 10 heists in 2014 and 2015, has been charged with robberies in two states, according to the FBI.

Corey Collier, 32, has been charged with one count of bank robbery in a criminal complaint filed June 13 in U.S. District Court.

Coller was charged with robbing the BMO Harris Bank branch at 1620 W. 95th St. on Dec. 6, 2014, according to the complaint.

On Jan. 20, 2015, Collier was arrested immediately after robbing an Anchor Bank at 6501 Monona Dr. in Monona, Wisconsin, according to the complaint.

A Wisconsin jury convicted him of the robbery in December 2015, and at his sentencing hearing, Collier admitted to that robbery, which was very similar to the Illinois robberies.

About 10 a.m. Dec. 6, 2014, he entered the BMO Harris branch, waited in line, then approached the teller and slid over a handwritten demand note, according to the complaint. The first line of the note read, “I have two guns.”

The teller took cash out of the drawer when Collier asked, “Where’s the hundreds at?” according to the complaint. The teller said, “I don’t have anymore, I gave them to that lady,” referring to a customer she had just helped. The robber asked “Where’s the other drawer?” The teller told Collier she didn’t have another drawer.

The robber fanned through the money, handed back some of the banded cash and said, “Put that back,” then said, “Stay right there, stay still,” according to the complaint. He told the armed security guard to have a nice day as he left, and got away with $4,825.

The same man is suspected of robbing eight other banks in Chicago between Oct. 28, 2014, and Jan. 14, 2015, though Collier has only been charged in Illinois with the one robbery, according to the FBI. During some of the robberies, he displayed a loaded gun magazine with ammunition or mentioned he had lots of bullets.

The FBI received several tips that the Play-Along Bandit was Collier, according to the complaint.

He was ordered detained at his initial court appearance on July 14.

He was dubbed the “Play-Along Bandit” because of the way he tried to blend in and act like a regular customer while entering and exiting the banks.