Mohamed Worku, a 31-year-old resident of Chicago, is making headlines again, just days after being acquitted of a previous bank robbery charge. The unusual saga began two years ago when Worku walked into a bank, handed a teller a polite note reading, “Give me the money please, thank you.” He left the scene with approximately $595, spending a portion before being arrested half an hour later.
Last Friday, a jury declared Worku not guilty of the initial bank robbery charges. The defense successfully argued that there were no explicit or implicit threats made during the incident. His attorney, Mary Judge, admitted that her client had committed a crime but contended that it didn’t amount to robbery as there was no use of force or intimidation, crucial elements in a robbery charge.
However, just three days after his acquittal, Worku allegedly repeated his actions. On Monday afternoon, January 22, 2024, he reportedly entered another bank and handed an employee a similarly polite note that read, “Please give me the money, I’ll pay it back soon, Banker’s give to me in advance,” according to a criminal complaint filed against him.
This time, the worker handed him over $2,000, and Worku left the bank. He was arrested again half an hour later, this time around $200 short of the amount he initially acquired, as stated in the complaint. The twist in the tale is that, unlike the previous case, Worku is now facing charges of both bank robbery and bank theft. Bank theft, unlike robbery, does not necessitate the involvement of force or intimidation.
Mary Judge, who is no longer representing Worku, expressed that the jury made the correct decision in the previous case. She acknowledged that the inclusion of theft charges in the current case aligns with how it “should be done.”
