Elderly Illinois couple handcuffed after being mistaken for bank robbers

OAK PARK, Ill. — An elderly couple is upset and shaken up after police swarmed their car in a parking lot after they left their normal bank.

Ottis Dugar, 86, and his 67-year-old wife Demitri still can’t believe they were mistaken for armed thieves.

The couple said they were handcuffed and detained for about 40 minutes.

Ottis is a Korean War veteran with glaucoma and Demitri is diabetic. They said the incident happened after they left their bank. Demtiri was driving Ottis to a Denny’s when they were surrounded by Oak Park and River Forest police, all with guns drawn.

Authorities later admitted it was a case of mistaken identity.

That’s something Demitri thinks should have been obvious.

“They asked me, ‘who’s in the car?’ I said my husband. ‘what’s his name?’ I said it’s Ottis. ‘does he have a gun in the car?’ I said no, we don’t have any guns. He can’t see to drive. And I can’t even walk fast, less only run,” said Demitri Dugar.

It’s not known if police tracked down the real thieves.