A woman dressed in black right down to her scarf and sunglasses is believed responsible for holding up two banks on successive Thursdays on the outskirts of the Twin Cities area.
The first holdup occurred about 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 at the Klein Bank in Cologne, according to the Carver County Sheriff's Office.
The woman, implying that she was armed, handed a teller a note demanding money, the Sheriff's Office said. The suspect grabbed the money placed on the counter and left.
She was described as white about 5 feet 8 inches tall and in her early to mid-20s. She wore a black head scarf, a loose black blouse and loose black slacks. She also wore large black sunglasses with gold trim on the temples.
The next heist 68 miles to the northeast occurred about 3:20 p.m. Thursday at the First State Bank of Wyoming in Stacy, according to the Chisago County Sheriff's Office. She carried out the crime in the same manner, left with the cash and was wearing all black, including a scarf and large black sunglasses, authorities in the north metro community said.
"The female appears to be very similar, if not the same female, that was recently involved in a similar incident at a bank in Cologne, Minnesota," the Chisago County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Information about the Cologne holdup can be called into the Carver County Sheriff's Office at 952-361-1212, 952-361-1231 or its tip line at 952-361-1224. Information about the Stacy robbery can be called into the Chisago County Sheriff's Office at 651-213-6327.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
