Bank Robbery on Central Street

According to Evanston police officers, the Harris Bank branch at 2821 Central St. was robbed in broad daylight today. I came home about 1:30 to find the neighborhood speckled with squadrols and unmarked cars. Purportedly the perpetrators were two males, one in a brown sweatsuit and carrying a large gym bag.

I generally don't highlight crime stories because, overall, I consider both Evanston as a whole and the Central Street neighborhood safe, and the sensational nature of a crime tends to color perceptions disproportionately. It's news precisely because it doesn't happen that often and remains statistically unlikely to happen. Also, no one likes it but crime has been with us forever and it's unlikely to ever completely disappear. However, the Tribune this very morning, ironically, observed that bank robberies have been elevated in the past two years, especially smaller branch outlets, and the tough economy does produce more desperation. Also, the report that the perpetrators were armed is something to keep in mind if you see a couple of suspicious-looking desperadoes.

I'm posting mainly on the off chance that someone in the neighborhood saw something or someone that might help apprehend some bad guys. The good news is that by the time I heard of this and posted it, the robbers were almost certainly long gone. I plead guilty to the fact that this crime story, like most, is likely to fall in the category of "news you can't use" and something to talk about rather than do anything about.