Marina City Bank robbery

On Friday, April 28, 1972, at about 10:30 a.m., a 20-year-old woman walked into Marina City Bank and handed a note to 20-year-old teller Ava Butler.

“I have a gun. Give me all your money or die. Any funny stuff and I’ll get you before they get me. Put money in black zipper bag.”

The woman did not display an actual gun, but held her hand in her long dark blue coat with gold buttons as if she had a gun.

Ava put about $33,000 into the bag and after the robber walked out, she alerted other employees. She did activate the bank alarm, though.

Responding to an anonymous tip, the FBI arrested Butler and charged her with being an accessory to the robbery. They caught the robber, Vickey Stevens, in North Carolina on May 4. A man was also being sought. In his house, federal agents found more than $30,000 from the bank robbery.

(Left) Marina City Bank, circa March 1973, from State Street. Photo by Mike Chunko.

By the end of 1974, Marina City Bank would outgrow Marina City and move its main banking facilities to the Old Republic Building on North Michigan Avenue. Marina City would be a full-service but remote location.

Marina City Bank was a footnote in Chicago history in February 1978, when it was disclosed they had $2 million in deposits from the Teamsters Union pension fund. The fund was in trouble for having $178 million in shaky loans.