Lottery ticket leads FBI to Illinois bank robbery suspect

Oct 9, 2018, 12:04 pm (11 comments)

Illinois Lottery

Sometimes when you win, you really lose.

Such is the case for Arlington Heights resident Dexter L. Riley, whose good fortune in the Illinois lottery helped the FBI link him to a bank robbery last month in Palatine.

The FBI on Thursday announced Riley, 38, is charged with holding up the Chase Bank at 1131 E. Dundee Road on Sept. 28, getting away with more than $8,250 in the heist.

It's what authorities say Riley left behind — a scratch-off lottery ticket — that led to his undoing.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday alleges Riley walked into the bank about 9:34 a.m. on Sept. 28 wearing dark clothes and what appeared to be a dark-colored wig under a hooded sweatshirt.

The robber approached a teller and handed over a plastic bag and handwritten note reading, "Put all the money in the bag and we won't have any problems," according to an FBI agent's affidavit. The man kept his left hand in a pocket, leading the teller to believe he might be armed. The teller emptied her drawer into the plastic bag and the robber left.

When an FBI agent later reviewed surveillance video of the holdup, he spotted something unusual — a piece of paper falling from the robber's pocket during the heist, court documents state. The agent later recovered the paper, which turned out to be a scratch-off ticket. With help from the Illinois Lottery, the agent learned it was sold the night before at a gas station in Rolling Meadows, according to his affidavit.

The Illinois Lottery told the FBI that four winning tickets sold at the gas station that night were cashed in last Tuesday morning at another gas station in Deer Park, according to court papers. Surveillance video from that station showed a person matching the robber's description redeeming the tickets, then driving away in a Chrysler Pacifica with temporary plates.

Later that night, a Palatine police officer spotted that vehicle, pulled it over and found Riley behind the wheel, the FBI said. A document found in the minivan shows it was purchased Sept. 29 — a day after the bank robbery — for $3,500.

The FBI says Riley later admitted to the heist, telling investigators he used the money to buy the Pacifica, pay rent, purchase a game system and get drugs. He also identified himself as the person in the bank surveillance video and was identified by the bank's manager in a lineup, according to the FBI.

Riley has not yet appeared in court, records indicate.

Daily Herald

Comments

Bleudog101

Evil Smile Too funny, almost aspirated a cheddar cheese Goldfish reading this.

Should be on the stupid criminal hall of fame show if such a thing exists.

 

Hey music*, I beat to the punch on this one!

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Buy a game system and drugs ???  Green laugh

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Criminally Incompetent! LOL!

music*'s avatarmusic*

Excellent observation skills showed by an FBI agent. Surveillance cameras are all over. Especially in a bank. 

 Good work by the Palatine police officer who spotted the vehicle and pulled it over. 

 On a side note, I watch Forensic Files. A criminal usually leaves a trail behind that the police can follow. A criminal might as well leave their ID at the scene of their crime. They will be caught. 

 One reason why our prisons are full. 

 At least Dexter L. Riley cooperated and confessed. He knew he had done wrong.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Remember Jim Hayes? The other bank robber profiled here on LP.  Jim and Dexter may meet each other in Prison. Crime does not pay.

noise-gate

Let's face it, some people are born to be losers.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Oct 9, 2018

Let's face it, some people are born to be losers.

This is the Nature versus Nurture debate. Are you born to be successful or do you learn it in your environment?  Is it genetics or education? 

 Some are able to overcome obstacles and lead successful and satisfying lives. Some are hampered by their environment and struggle to survive.

 Some of the obstacles that people choose are cigarettes, alcohol, illegal drugs. These lead to illegitimate babies that can become obstacles to success. "Can" not always.

Pumpkin 

Onelast8

This all too funny that people believe everything they read without paying attention to what they are reading WOW

It says the store camera Tuesday night the 27th  where he cashed in the lottery tickets showed him driving away in a minivan with temp plates and robs the bank on the 28th  Wednesday morning got pulled over that night and found the minivan was purchased on the 29th  with proceeds from the robbery. It just don't add up to me but I am only commenting the article itself.

Now he got $8250 from the heist paid rent bought dope and a minivan for $3500 on the 29th and gets busted the night of the bank robbery which was the 28th.

Hey I got some prime oceanfront property for sale in Montana

NYSlugger 777's avatarNYSlugger 777

He should be banned from ever cashing or purchasing lottery tickets once he is released.Stealing is wrong no matter what but this guy won  and robbed a bank right afterwards.It's so hard to comprehend that.

 

What a coincidence though...that bank number is one of my favorite plays I was thinking about playing heavy before reading this article, 1131. I like it as 1311 but .50 box will pay $600.Hasnt hit in NY evening since 2004 but it may hit in any state.I wonder how long it'll take before its drawn in Illinois. Good luck to all.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by Onelast8 on Oct 9, 2018

This all too funny that people believe everything they read without paying attention to what they are reading WOW

It says the store camera Tuesday night the 27th  where he cashed in the lottery tickets showed him driving away in a minivan with temp plates and robs the bank on the 28th  Wednesday morning got pulled over that night and found the minivan was purchased on the 29th  with proceeds from the robbery. It just don't add up to me but I am only commenting the article itself.

Now he got $8250 from the heist paid rent bought dope and a minivan for $3500 on the 29th and gets busted the night of the bank robbery which was the 28th.

Hey I got some prime oceanfront property for sale in Montana

It takes time for Law Enforcement to Investigate:

9/28 (Friday) Robbery

9/29 (Saturday) Purchased Pacifica

10/02 (Tuesday) Cashed in Lottery Tickets

10/02 (Tuesday Night Picked Up Driving Pacifica)


https://www.insideedition.com/dropped-lottery-ticket-leads-fbi-agent-alleged-bank-robber-report-47485

Tucker Black's avatarTucker Black

Bank robbers should be shot in the face.

End of comments
Subscribe to this news story