A gunman stole a pickup truck from a car dealership, robbed a Maplewood credit union and bailed from the vehicle while fleeing the scene, authorities said.

The holdup occurred about 2:35 p.m. Wednesday at the Unity One Credit Union on Beam Avenue about a half-mile east of Hwy. 61, according to police.

The man, armed with a silver handgun, demanded that the teller empty her drawer, police said.

The vehicle he arrived in, a blue Honda Ridgeline, was stolen from a nearby dealership and quickly abandoned in a retail parking lot, police added.

The suspect is described as white, 35 to 45 years old, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 11 inches tall and 145 to 175 pounds. Police say he also has a raised skin-colored mole on his left cheek about the size of a dime. He was wearing a dark overcoat, purple dress shirt, dark pants and dark sunglasses.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call police at 911 or 651-767-0640.

Paul Walsh