Man charged in North Riverside bank robbery

(NORTH RIVERSIDE) A man is accused of robbing a bank last week, then trying to trick police officers in south suburban North Riverside.

Shane Nevarez, 23, was charged with the robbery in a criminal complaint filed Jan. 7.

He entered the Chase Bank branch at 1730 S. Harlem Ave. about 2 p.m. Jan. 6, and demanded money from the teller, the complaint said. The teller pushed a button to automatically dispense $1,000, but Nevarez allegedly responded, “What the f—? This is not enough.”

He then yelled that he would shoot people if they didn’t give him more cash, the complaint said. Two more tellers each gave Nevarez $1,000 and he ran away.

He did not show a weapon during the robbery, according to the FBI.

North Riverside police canvassing the area talked to a person who said he had just seen someone jump over his fence. A black baseball hat and a jacket–both matching bank surveillance photos of Nevarez’s clothing–were found in the witness’s backyard, the complaint said. Police also found Nevarez’s ID in the jacket pocket.

Then, Nevarez came out from the side of a neighbor’s house and, trying to trick police, said he saw a man running away, the complaint said. Officers continued to search that area, but did not find any footprints in the snowy path Nevarez had pointed to.

Nevarez then got into a Lincoln car and drove away, so officers noted down the license plate number and used records to identify him, the complaint said.

During an interview with investigators, he asked “when he would be taken to the MCC (Metropolitan Correctional Center).” Nevarez also asked, “Did I leave behind fingerprints or was my face showing on camera?”

Nevarez’s next court date was not known Sunday.