Law enforcement officials have in custody a woman they believe dressed up to look like a man, wearing a fake mustache and men’s clothing, and robbed the US Bank at 6700 North Ave. on Sept. 23.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court on Jan. 12, Kimberly Lasarge, of the 5500 block of North Ave., has been charged with robbing the bank of $984.
The affidavit also states that the FBI is investigating allegations that Lasarge is a member of a crew of individuals that has committed a series of about six bank robberies total in 2015 in Chicago, Oak Park and Forest Park. No details were given about the other robberies.
The court document states that Lasarge was positively identified by the bank teller, and two other unidentified individuals, one of whom allegedly wore a wire and recorded Lasarge admitting to the crime.
The recorded conversation occurred on Nov. 13, 2015 at Lasarge’s apartment, where she stated that she and a female associate went to scope out the bank.
“I told her to go in and see how many people was there. See if there was any security. Where is the cameras,” Lasarge allegedly told the informant, according to the court document. “She went, she walked in, she checked it out, she came back, she told me and then I went in.”
Lasarge also was allegedly recorded saying that she got “almost a thousand [dollars]” from the bank and that the authorities had her picture “when I did the robbery [on Sept. 23] over here on my own.”
The criminal complaint states that Lasarge entered the bank on the afternoon of the Sept. 23, handed the teller a demand note that that stated, “This is a robbery. Put all the money in the bag. No sudden moves – no alarms.”
Lasarge then allegedly said to the teller, “Hurry up. No sudden moves and no alarms.”
The robbery was described as a non-takeover event, meaning no hostages were taken and likely most people in the bank did not know a robbery was taking place.
The teller handed over the money, which was place in a bright red bag and Lasarge reportedly exited the building, leaving behind the demand note.
The offender in that incident was described by the teller as a Hispanic female in her mid- to late-20s. Lasarge was 36 years old at the time of the arrest.
Lasarge is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. in U.S. District Court. She is currently being held at the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.
