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Crime & Safety

Reports: Man Charged in Batavia, STC Robberies Confessed to Bank Heist

Douglas Kelley of Batavia told police he tossed bank money out of a car window after a dye pack exploded during a Jan. 18 robbery. Here's more details.

The Batavia man accused of holding up Subway restaurants in Batavia and North Aurora, as well as a St. Charles motel, admitted to robbing an Elgin bank in January, according to court records.

Douglas Kelley, 27, remains in federal custody on charges he and another man used toy guns to take nearly $3,000 from Elgin State Bank during a January heist.

during a traffic stop shortly after the robbery, but not before Kelley tossed some of the money out of the car because it started smoking when a dye pack exploded, an FBI affidavit explains.

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Kane County prosecutors allege Kelley brandished a toy pistol or pellet gun during three holdups in and around the Tri-Cities in November and December. He faces three counts of armed robbery with no firearm and is scheduled to return to court on March 23.

Robbery Recap

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Kelley wore a ski hat and sunglasses when he on Nov. 23 and took about $600, prosecutors allege. Five days later, he carried a similar type and threatened a clerk into handing over money, court records show.

Then, on Dec. 29, Kelley used a toy pistol that “closely resembled a true firearm” to take , the records state.

Kelley has not yet been indicted in the Kane County cases. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to selling cocaine to an undercover police officer and was sentenced to four years in prison. But then he was recommended for an Illinois Department of Corrections boot camp, which typically allows inmates to serve shorter prison terms.

Good Dye Job

Just before 5 p.m. on Jan. 18, Kelley and a second man, Lucas Marin, covered their faces and rushed into the Elgin State Bank on McLean Boulevard with what appeared to be real guns. Kelley threatened to shoot his gun if alarms were activated or police showed up, the FBI affidavit states.

“This is no (expletive) joke, give me all your money,” Kelley reportedly told a teller.

After a teller gave Kelley all the money from her cash drawer, Kelley demanded more. The teller went to a second drawer for more money, as well as a dye pack, which she gave Kelley. The men fled the bank and got in a Mitsubishi Eclipse. and reported its license plate number to police, according to the FBI.

Elgin police tracked down the car, but Kelley and Marin fled once it was stopped. Police quickly captured Kelley, but Marin wasn’t picked up until the following day in Batavia.

The female driver of the Eclipse, who was not charged, told investigators the men had exited the car near Elgin State Bank and she lost sight of them. Kelley and Marin reappeared several minutes later, running toward the car with “pink smoke” coming from something they were carrying, the affidavit states.

A search of the Eclipse turned up the following items, records show:

  • Two BB-type guns
  • A black mask
  • A black stocking cap with eye hole cut outs
  • State ID cards with each man’s name on them

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