A South Dakota prison escapee was caught early Wednesday at Mystic Lake Casino after piling up a slew of crimes since late Friday, including three bank robberies in the Twin Cities, an auto theft and other offenses, authorities said.

Clint B. Eldeen's luck ran out at Mystic Lake Casino about 4 a.m., when Prior Lake police arrested him, said FBI spokesman Kyle Loven.

Eldeen, 46, escaped from a minimum-security prison in Sioux Falls, S.D., early Friday evening. He was serving lengthy prison terms for check fraud.

Eldeen persisted in his crime spree Tuesday afternoon in Richfield, Loven said, when he attempted to hold up a TCF Bank branch near E. 66th Street and Cedar Avenue about 1 p.m.

Loven said he's not sure whether Eldeen got away with any cash.

About an hour later and 2 miles to the west, Eldeen struck again, robbing the Wells Fargo at 6445 Nicollet Av. S. and fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash, Loven said.

Randy Salas, Star Tribune
Clint B. Eldeen

Between holdups, there was "a short pursuit [by police], and the suspect evaded capture," said Richfield police Lt. Mike Flaherty.

Before the Richfield robberies and after escaping from the South Dakota prison, according to police, Eldeen:

• Stole a car from a Pizza Hut delivery person in Sioux Falls about 10:50 p.m. Friday.

• Stole license plates early Saturday from a vehicle on display at Furlong Motors in Faribault, Minn., more than 200 miles to the east.

• Pulled into a Super America off Interstate 35 in Lakeville about 3 a.m., put gas in the tank and took off without paying.

• Robbed the Bremer Bank branch at 1715 W. County Road B2 in Roseville about 9:40 a.m. Saturday.

Police released to the media surveillance photos from the Roseville bank robbery and later, the suspect's identity and a physical description.

Upon Eldeen's arrival at the casino, security officers recognized him and notified Prior Lake police, said Roseville police Lt. Lorne Rosand.

The FBI's Loven said South Dakota authorities will begin extradition proceedings.

He is being held in the Ramsey County jail.

Loven said the FBI will also be looking into whether Eldeen robbed other banks in Minnesota.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482