EVANSVILLE — A multi-state investigation has led to the arrest of a Washington man accused of robbing a financial institution in Illinois using a disguise and a demand note.
Robert Emil Neal, 51, was apprehended by Evansville police officers in the early hours of New Year’s Eve, ending a cross-border manhunt that began just 12 hours earlier.
The incident began on December 30, 2025, at approximately 2:00 p.m. According to investigators from the Edwardsville Police Department, a suspect entered the Chase Bank branch in Edwardsville, Illinois, wearing a disguise.
Police report that the man did not display a weapon but instead passed a note to a bank teller demanding cash. The suspect successfully fled the scene with more than $4,000 in currency.
Detectives in Illinois quickly identified a suspect vehicle and alerted the Evansville Police Department (EPD) to assist in the investigation. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on December 31, EPD officers spotted a vehicle matching the suspect’s description near the intersection of East Virginia Street.
During a high-risk traffic stop, officers identified the driver as Neal and took him into custody without incident.
Neal is currently being held at the Vanderburgh County Jail as he awaits extradition to Illinois. He faces a mounting list of charges across two jurisdictions:
In Vanderburgh County (Indiana):
- Theft
In Madison County (Illinois):
- Financial Institution Robbery
- Possession of a Stolen License Plate
- Felony Theft
While Neal is currently facing theft charges in Indiana, the more severe robbery charges are pending in Illinois, where the original crime occurred. Authorities have not yet released details regarding the nature of the disguise used or whether the stolen cash was recovered during the arrest.
Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
