BRODHEAD - Three suspects in a bank robbery Friday morning in Orangeville were apprehended in Rock County after a chase by law enforcement officers, which reached speeds of 100 mile per hour and took them through the cities of Monroe and Brodhead.
The suspects are being held at the Rock County Jail pending charges. The driver of the vehicle was hospitalized after being injured during a foot chase, treated and released. He is also being held at the Rock County Jail.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office is working with Stephenson County and FBI officials to investigate the bank robbery. Suspect names are being withheld until charges are levied.
However, evidence at the scene implicates the suspects' involvement in the robbery; all three suspects are adult males from the Rockford area, according to a Rock County Sheriff Department news release.
According to a Stephenson County Sheriff's new release, Stephenson County deputies responded to a bank robbery at the Orangeville Community Bank, 401 S. Church Street in Orangeville.
At about 9:36 a.m. Friday, a black male suspect wearing what was described as a Halloween mask entered the bank through the north entrance brandishing two pistols, according to law enforcement officials. The man immediately made his way behind the teller and ordered employees to the floor. A second suspect, described as a white male wearing a pull-over ski mask, then entered the bank, brandishing a rifle.
The second suspect moved a bank employee and a customer to the area where the other employees were located. Employees and customer were ordered into the bank's vault and locked in.
A bank employee was able to call 911 on his cell phone and alert authorities that the bank had been robbed. The employees and customer were released from the vault shortly after the suspects fled the scene.
The responding deputy observed the armed suspects leave the bank. They were picked up by a third suspect driving a gray Chevrolet Lumina. The vehicle left the parking lot, and the deputy began pursuing the vehicle southbound on Church Street.
When the vehicle reached Illinois 26, it turned north.
A Stephenson County Sheriff's Investigator joined the pursuit, and the vehicle was chased into Wisconsin where the Monroe Police Department assisted.
Scanners picked up the communication of law enforcement officers, who reported the suspect vehicle turned west on 21st Street and then turned south on Bethel Road southwest of the city.
The chase continued south into rural Green County to County P at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The vehicle was eventually lost near Clarno.
The suspects, believed to be still in Green County, eluded authorities until it collided with another vehicle on Wis. 69 near Monroe.
At about 10 a.m., law enforcement officials in Stephenson County and Green County advised the Rock County Sheriff's Office of the Orangeville bank robbery. In anticipation of the suspect vehicle traveling east through Green County, Rock County deputies began staging at various intersections along the Green and Rock County line.
A short time later, a Rock County deputy spotted the suspect vehicle in Brodhead. Rock County deputies followed the suspect vehicle until it left Brodhead on Wis. 11 into Rock County.
Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but suspects attempted to flee. A pursuit ensued with speeds reaching 90 mph and extending about three miles into Rock County. Authorities were able to perform maneuvers that induced the driver to a stop, according to a news release.
As the vehicle slowed, the suspects fled the moving vehicle, running into fields on both sides of the roadway. The vehicle crashed in a guard rail at Wisconsin 11 and Severson Road.
Rock County deputies, along with Rock County's K9 officer, were able to apprehend all three suspects.
Two pistols and a large bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash were recovered at the scene. The rifle was found just north of the bank.
Stephenson County Sheriff's Officials were assisted by the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit and the FBI as well as the Monroe Police Department, Green County Sheriff's Office, Rock County Sheriff's Office, Brodhead Police Department and the Lena Police Department.
The suspects are being held at the Rock County Jail pending charges. The driver of the vehicle was hospitalized after being injured during a foot chase, treated and released. He is also being held at the Rock County Jail.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office is working with Stephenson County and FBI officials to investigate the bank robbery. Suspect names are being withheld until charges are levied.
However, evidence at the scene implicates the suspects' involvement in the robbery; all three suspects are adult males from the Rockford area, according to a Rock County Sheriff Department news release.
According to a Stephenson County Sheriff's new release, Stephenson County deputies responded to a bank robbery at the Orangeville Community Bank, 401 S. Church Street in Orangeville.
At about 9:36 a.m. Friday, a black male suspect wearing what was described as a Halloween mask entered the bank through the north entrance brandishing two pistols, according to law enforcement officials. The man immediately made his way behind the teller and ordered employees to the floor. A second suspect, described as a white male wearing a pull-over ski mask, then entered the bank, brandishing a rifle.
The second suspect moved a bank employee and a customer to the area where the other employees were located. Employees and customer were ordered into the bank's vault and locked in.
A bank employee was able to call 911 on his cell phone and alert authorities that the bank had been robbed. The employees and customer were released from the vault shortly after the suspects fled the scene.
The responding deputy observed the armed suspects leave the bank. They were picked up by a third suspect driving a gray Chevrolet Lumina. The vehicle left the parking lot, and the deputy began pursuing the vehicle southbound on Church Street.
When the vehicle reached Illinois 26, it turned north.
A Stephenson County Sheriff's Investigator joined the pursuit, and the vehicle was chased into Wisconsin where the Monroe Police Department assisted.
Scanners picked up the communication of law enforcement officers, who reported the suspect vehicle turned west on 21st Street and then turned south on Bethel Road southwest of the city.
The chase continued south into rural Green County to County P at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The vehicle was eventually lost near Clarno.
The suspects, believed to be still in Green County, eluded authorities until it collided with another vehicle on Wis. 69 near Monroe.
At about 10 a.m., law enforcement officials in Stephenson County and Green County advised the Rock County Sheriff's Office of the Orangeville bank robbery. In anticipation of the suspect vehicle traveling east through Green County, Rock County deputies began staging at various intersections along the Green and Rock County line.
A short time later, a Rock County deputy spotted the suspect vehicle in Brodhead. Rock County deputies followed the suspect vehicle until it left Brodhead on Wis. 11 into Rock County.
Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but suspects attempted to flee. A pursuit ensued with speeds reaching 90 mph and extending about three miles into Rock County. Authorities were able to perform maneuvers that induced the driver to a stop, according to a news release.
As the vehicle slowed, the suspects fled the moving vehicle, running into fields on both sides of the roadway. The vehicle crashed in a guard rail at Wisconsin 11 and Severson Road.
Rock County deputies, along with Rock County's K9 officer, were able to apprehend all three suspects.
Two pistols and a large bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash were recovered at the scene. The rifle was found just north of the bank.
Stephenson County Sheriff's Officials were assisted by the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit and the FBI as well as the Monroe Police Department, Green County Sheriff's Office, Rock County Sheriff's Office, Brodhead Police Department and the Lena Police Department.