GPS Tracker, Bait Bills Lead To Serial Bank Robber: FBI

AURORA, IL — An Aurora man charged with a bank robbery Friday in Lisle is a suspect in three other bank robberies across the western suburbs who has pleaded guilty to bank robberies in the past. Stephen Bolf, 35, of Aurora, was found Friday with a GPS tracker and bait bills, according to a complaint filed Dec. 30 in the U.S. District Court. Bolf has a history with another bank robbery, and could be involved in more.

In the court filing, FBI agents said they had enough evidence to show Bolf robbed Lisle Savings Bank at 4720 Main Street, Dec. 29. Bolf is also a suspect in three other recent robberies. The FBI is still seeking more information to establish his connection to a robbery Nov. 21 at a Fifth Third Bank in Aurora, another robbery Dec. 7 at a PNC Bank branch in Naperville, followed by a Dec. 19 robbery of another Fifth Third Bank location in Glen Ellyn.

According to court records, he had not completed serving the terms of a previous sentence for bank robbery.

Lisle Robbery, Wheaton Arrest

Officials said in that incident, the teller gave Bolf the money from the bank’s top drawer, which included a GPS tracker, bait bills, and fresh $10 bills, bundled in a paperclip. Bank audit showed they were missing $1,699 at the end of the day.

Lisle police officers followed the GPS tracker to a parked silver Mazda MPV. Police approached the minivan and found Bolf— who police said matched the description of the robber— and his driver’s license. The agent who wrote the report recognized him from a 2011 encounter.

Lisle officers brought him to the bank, where tellers commented on whether they thought he was the same man from earlier. Two said they were 90 percent sure he was. Meanwhile, police searched Bolf’s vehicle where they found a coat, sunglasses, black leather gloves, a tan scarf and a black satchel, all matching the descriptions of the same items in the surveillance video. In the satchel, they found $1,699 which included a stack of fresh $10 bills with a paperclip, bait bills and a GPS tracker. Bolf was placed under arrest.

Bolf appeared Tuesday in federal court, and was appointed a public defender, Amanda Penabad. The Beacon-News reached Penabad by phone and she did not have any comments. He will remain in custody until the court orders otherwise. He has a detention hearing Friday and another hearing Jan. 11.

2011 Carol Stream Robbery

In a 2011 complaint filed with the U.S. District Court, an FBI special agent assigned to the case said $1,582 was taken from the West Suburban Bank branch at 895 E. Galena Road in Carol Stream Oct. 13, 2011. Charges were filed against Bolf Oct. 21, 2011, according to an FBI press release. Bolf was 28 years old at the time.

In the 2011 complaint, witnesses said he handed the teller a wrinkled note with the words, “I have a gun,” and the teller complied. Bolf returned the the building a week later with a roommate, who the report named “Friend A.” A Carol Stream police officer said he recognized Bolf, who was unknown at the time, from surveillance video because he was wearing the same jacket from the week prior, the complaint said.

Bolf and “Friend A” gave written consent for their apartment to be searched. Later, at the apartment, Bolf was advised of his Miranda rights, but refused to sign a written waiver, before he admitted to robbing the bank of $900. He said he spent the money on an Xbox, a tattoo and drugs. Police found the video game console and noticed a fresh tattoo on Bolf’s stomach.

The document indicates both men were forthcoming with answers, which led police to search the apartment next door, where they found a lock box and a backpack, both with heroin inside them. Police learned that "Friend A" had given a head’s up to his neighbor, who stashed the belongings for them.

In an Oct. 20, 2011 interview with "Friend A", he said he didn’t believe that Bolf, who was unemployed at the time, but had money, robbed a bank. He said Bolf told him he made away with $4,700, and showed him pictures of the bank surveillance photos on the internet.

Rolf pleaded guilty in the case and, in August 2012, he was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison along with two years supervised release.

The most recent documents regarding his supervision stemming from his conviction have been sealed, but court records indicate he still owed more than $10,000 in restitution as recently as late 2017.

Patch editor Jonah Meadows contributed

Top photo via FBI