Blaine police said Monday they are so confident that they know who robbed a TCF Bank branch last week that they are seeking charges against the woman even before she can be located.

Thanks to a remarkably clear surveillance image of the woman as she held up the branch on Wednesday inside the Cub Foods store at 12595 Central Av. NE., "three credible tips from different people were able to tell us who this person is," said police Lt. Dan Pelkey.

"We have been able to identify this lady, but we are not able to get her," Pelkey added.

In the meantime, police are forwarding the case to the Anoka County attorney's office for charging, the lieutenant said.

Pelkey was impressed with the clarity of the surveillance image, saying "it was like a driver's license photo."

After leaving the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect got in a vehicle that was driven by a male and described as a full-size blue conversion van. Police also released a surveillance image of the van in front of the grocery store.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call the FBI at 763-569-8000 or police at 763-427-1212.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482