A Twin Cities man suspected in a number of bank robberies or attempted holdups in the past six months was finally nabbed after hitting two banks in one day Tuesday, authorities said.
The 31-year-old St. Paul man's string of crimes began Aug. 29 in St. Paul and included robbing the same bank twice in November, according to the FBI. The FBI is now attributing eight robberies or attempted robberies to him.
Before his arrest Tuesday, the man attempted to rob a Wells Fargo branch on Vierling Drive E. in Shakopee, police said. The suspect implied he had a weapon and demanded money, said Police Chief Jeff Tate.
However, the chief continued, "The teller said 'I don't have it.' It worked, but I'm glad he didn't raise the bar or anything like that."
Early Tuesday afternoon, about 6 miles to the west in Chaska, the same suspect hit a Community Bank on Walnut Street, police said. The man suggested he had a weapon, gave the teller a note demanding money and fled with an undetermined amount of cash.
The suspect was arrested several hours later while walking a couple of miles west of the Chaska bank, and he had nearly all of the stolen loot on him, said Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight.
The man was booked into the Carver County jail Tuesday evening. He has yet to be charged.
An officer said the man walking alone "didn't look right," Knight said. "Lo and behold, the officer was right. He was our guy."
