Sept. 19 -- Two Aurora firefighters are being credited with helping to detain a man who is accused of robbing a BMO Harris bank in Aurora.
Lester N. Bernard, 58, of Aurora, is accused of robbing the BMO Harris bank at 1252 N. Lake St. at around 3 p.m. Sept. 13, according to a complaint from the FBI.
Bernard is accused of handing a bank teller a note which said: “This is a stick up don’t make it a murder! I have a gun! Put the cash in this bag on the counter! No dye packs or u die! And no sudden movements.”
Bernard then allegedly told the teller: “I have a gun. Give me the money. Don’t look at the security guard,” according to the FBI complaint.
The teller complied and put approximately $3,393 in the bag, according to the FBI account. Bernard took the bag and ran out of the bank.
The bank’s protection officer followed Bernard out of the bank into the parking lot, where two Aurora firefighters then joined the pursuit, according to the FBI account. They detained Bernard near an adjoining parking lot until Aurora police arrived, the account stated.
Bernard had an initial appearance before a federal judge Monday and was ordered to be detained, FBI officials said in a news release.
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