Serial Robber Dons ‘Spider-Man’ Likeness When Holding Up Convenience Stores

A costume-clad criminal, donning a Spider-Man likeness, has been plaguing shop owners in Chicago’s Northwest Side. Some news reports are calling him the “Spiderman Bandit.”

The serial robber’s most recent theft, his third in recent weeks, was around 7 pm Thursday. He held up a convenience store in the 3700 block of North Harlem Avenue, according to NBC Chicago. Police believe the same man has been involved in two other thefts from the same 7-Eleven on January 24 and February 19. So far no one has been injured in the hold-ups.

The suspect is described as being a Caucasian man in this twenties, between five foot eight and five foot eleven inches tall, wearing a Spider-man mask and tan colored coat. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them 312-744-8263.

This is not the first criminal “mastermind” to wear a Spider-Man costume during the commission of a crime. In October 2011, a North Carolina convenience store clerk was threatened by 56-year-old Dale Foughty. Foughty was clothed in a Spider-Man costume, and brandished a sword at the employee. A sword is not typically associated with the fictional character, but a sword nonetheless was used in the attempted robbery. The clerk countered with a broom and managed to disarm the criminal.

Spider-Man is an iconic fictional comic book superhero, branded by Marvel Comics and created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Spider-Man, everyday alter ego Peter Parker, first appeared in August 1962.

Peter Parker first emerged as an orphaned adolescent being raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, who acquires fantastic powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider.

Spider-Man was one of the first adolescent primary heroes, and not relegated to a sidekick as most teenager characters were at the time.

Based on the character’s biography, Spider-Man would be more likely to ensnare a convenience store robber than become one.

[Image via Featureflash / Shutterstock.com]