A judge ordered a woman held on a $200,000 bond after prosecutors say she walked into a bank in Kildeer while masked and robbed it of over $20,000 while claiming she was armed.
The Kildeer Police Department responded around 10:03 a.m. Monday to the Bank of America, 20263 North Rand Road in Kildeer, for a report of an armed robbery in progress.
Kildeer Chief of Police Steve Balinski said the offender was described as a female white, slim build, wearing a white face covering.
Officers learned the offender entered the bank and told an employee she had a gun before demanding money be placed in a bag.
No gun was displayed and the bag was described as a duffle bag, Balinski said.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Manuel Mandujano said an employee collected money and placed it into the bag.
One employee called 911 and another activated the silent alarm.
Officers located the female suspect near the intersection of Rand Road and Plum Grove Road in Kildeer.
The offender was identified at the scene and she made a statement to officers of her involvement, Balinski said.
The woman, Tina Lambert, 50, of Kildeer, had approximately $20,500 in cash and a lighter inside a nylon duffle bag in her possession.
Mandujano said that Lambert held the butane lighter in her sleeve during the robbery to give the appearance that she had a gun.
The Kildeer Police Department said they worked with the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Mandujano said federal prosecutors declined to charge Lambert with federal charges.
Lambert was charged in Lake County Circuit Court with armed robbery, burglary and felony theft.
The woman was interviewed and admitted to robbing the bank, Mandujano said.
Lambert was transported to the Lake County Jail and appeared in court Tuesday morning.
A public defender for the woman said she has lived for the past eight years in Kildeer with her sister and her sister’s son.
The attorney also said Lambert is not currently working but does have “some savings.”
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Lambert held on a $200,000 bond.
Lambert remains held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post $20,000 cash in order to be released.