A shockingly polite man robbed a Chicago bank with a note vowing to “pay it back soon” on Monday — less than 72 hours after he was acquitted of committing a similar bank robbery.
Two years ago, Mohamed Worku walked into a local bank and pressed a note against the glass that read, “Give me the money please, thank you,” and left with about $595.
He was found about half an hour later, with about $100 less and the note still in his possession, according to the Chicago Tribune.
But in court, Worku’s attorney argued that even though he committed a crime, it did not amount to robbery — which she said involves stealing something by force or “intimidation,” the Tribune reports.
In Worku’s demand for the money, attorney Mary Judge claimed, there were “no implicit or explicit threats of any kind.”
A jury agreed, and Worku, 31, was released from custody on Friday.
But on Monday afternoon, Worku allegedly walked into another bank in Lincoln Park and handed an employee a note, reading: “Please Give me the money. I’ll pay it back soon. Bankers Gife (sic) to me in advance,” according to a new criminal complaint.
It says the bank teller gave Worku more than $2,000 and allowed him to walk out before calling police.
The teller described the suspect as wearing a surgical mask, neon green gloves and a neon green winter cap, CWB Chicago reports.
Investigators later found surveillance footage of a man matching the description still wearing the green hat and gloves, buying clothing and a backpack at a nearby Target store.
After making the purchase, he allegedly changed into new clothes, ditched some of his old clothes and headed out the door — though he kept his neon hat and gloves.
Worku was arrested just about half an hour after the alleged robbery, with about $200 less than what he had been given at the bank.
He is now set to be charged with both bank robbery and bank theft, which do not require force or intimidation.
Judge, who is not representing Worku in the new case, told the Tribune she believes that is a more appropriate charging decision.
“Thank you to the jurors in our case for reaching the right conclusion,” she said.
“Because of their not-guilty verdict, I believe the government is now charging both bank robbery and bank theft in a case where there is not evidence of force or threat of force — as it should be done.”
