Man Accused Of Stealing Car At Gunpoint In Warrenville, Attacking Driver In Naperville

NAPERVILLE, IL — A Naperville man faces multiple felony charges after police say he stole a car at gunpoint in Warrenville and hit another driver over the head with a gun while they were parked at a BP gas station in Naperville.

Archie Banks, 63, of the 1600 Block of Westminster Drive in Naperville, was charged with armed violence, attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm, aggravated battery, aggravated kidnapping while armed with a firearm, armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm and aggravated unlawful restraint in connection with the incidents.

According to prosecutors, Banks stole a car at gunpoint on Aug. 20 on Diehl Road in Warrenville. Prosecutors say a woman was parked in her car in the 27000 block of Diehl when Banks opened her car door, grabbed her phone and "pointed a small black pistol at her head."

Banks is accused of telling the woman,“If you say anything, I will kill you," as he held a blue plastic bag. Police say Banks got into the woman's car and held a gun to her head while demanding that she drive.

According to prosecutors, Banks made the woman drive to Bond Street and then told her to leave the car. He is accused of driving off in the vehicle.

Warrenville police reported that the car was later found near the same spot where the woman had been parked.

On Aug. 25, Naperville police were called to the BP station at 1983 Brookdale Road for a report that a man had attacked a woman while she was parked in the gas station's lot.

Banks is accused of opening the woman's car door and hitting her over the head five times with a black handgun before saying, "Get out, b***h." Police say the woman screamed, which prompted Banks to flee the scene by foot.

Police arrested Banks shortly after, with officers reporting that they found "a blue plastic bag containing a black and tan coiled rope and a purple coiled rope with Gorilla duct tape and gloves" in his possession, a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said.

Police say they traced Banks's steps and found a knife on the sidewalk along Brookdale and a loaded 9 mm Taurus handgun in bushes nearby.

The subsequent investigation led police to connect Banks to the Warrenville carjacking.

"Judge Dieden’s decision to deny pre-trial release for Mr. Banks sends a strong message that in DuPage County, we will not stand for violent criminal activity, as alleged in these cases,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, “The allegations, that Mr. Banks kidnapped and carjacked a woman at gunpoint and five days later pistol-whipped and attempted to carjack a second woman at gunpoint, have no place in civilized society and will be met with the full force of the law. This type of brazen behavior, effects not just the involved victims, but also casts a shadow of fear across the entire community. Our residents and law enforcement, however, will not bend to such attacks on our safety. I thank the public for providing pertinent information to responding officers."

Banks is being held at DuPage County Jail and is set to appear in court on Sept. 22.