FBI: Bank robber threatened to bomb West Side PNC branch

A homeless man threatened to bomb a West Side bank while robbing it last month, in one of two heists for which he now faces federal charges, authorities said.

Cayetano Williams, 57, made off with more than $500 after telling a teller he would “blow this s— up” if the teller called for help on the afternoon of Dec. 15 at a PNC Bank branch at 3337 W. North Ave., according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.

“[D]on’t press the alarm or this f—— place will get bombed,” Williams allegedly said.

Authorities said he struck again Jan. 4 at a Byline Bank branch at 2201 W. Cermak Road, when he implied he had a gun while making a teller hand over more than $1,000.

No one was hurt in either of the robberies.

Investigators matched surveillance images with previous arrest mugshots and tracked down the probation officer of Williams, who has a previous federal conviction, authorities said. The officer identified Williams in a photo lineup, as did several of the bank tellers, authorities said.

FBI agents learned he had stayed at a Cicero motel and eventually tracked down Williams at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, the complaint says.

Williams appeared in federal court Friday on two charges of bank robbery. He remains held at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Authorities previously said the same man was suspected of robbing a U.S. Bank branch on Dec. 2 at 4725 N. Western Ave., and a Huntington Bank branch on Dec. 8 at 4012 N. Pulaski Road. Williams has not been charged with those robberies.

Ten banks have been robbed since the start of the year in the Chicago area, which saw a sharp uptick in hold-ups in 2016, as 193 banks were robbed.