FBI Links Fridley Bank Robber to Plymouth Robbery in April

On July 20 a well-dressed man, about six feet tall, with a possibly fake greying goatee and thick facial makeup, , pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the teller and left in a white, two-door car with a pile of cash.

Now the FBI is saying they believe the suspect to be a serial bank robber who has hit five area grocery store banks since March. Along with facial hair and makeup, the bureau believes he's donned a rubber nose, spectacles and various hats to disguise himself during his holdups.

“He approaches the tellers, he displays a black pistol, he often throws a bag across the counter and demands the funds be put inside,” said Gregory Boosalis, an FBI spokesman.

Boosalis said that the FBI is working with local police departments to track down the suspect.

“He tends to be well-dressed and wearing a fedora or some other type of hat,” Boosalis said. “He’ll dress as himself with either some type of fake nose or fake facial hair or glasses, and he’ll wear a suit coat or sweater—he looks like a business man.”

Boosalis said the FBI is on the lookout for the man to strike again.

"Periodically we do have serial type bank robbers, and once they make a successful robbery, one or two, they do go on," he said.

All five robberies have taken place at lunchtime and, after the first late-March holdup, they’ve all come on Fridays.

Here’s the timeline of the suspect’s bank robbery spree, according to the FBI:

• Monday, March 26, 11:20 a.m., , 16401 County Rd 30, Maple Grove.
• Friday, April 13, the U.S. Bank inside Byerly’s, 3777 Park Center Boulevard, St. Louis Park.
• Friday, April 27, 11:45 a.m., , 10200 6th Ave N, Plymouth.
• Friday, July 20, 11:45 a.m., , 256 57th Ave. NE, Fridley.
• Friday, Aug. 3, just after noon, the Guaranty Bank inside Rainbow Foods, 1540 New Brighton Blvd., Minneapolis.

Here’s the statement put out by police after the Fridley robbery:

JULY 20, 2012, TCF BANK AT CUB FOODS, FRIDLEY

On July 20, 2012, at approximately 11:45 am, a lone, black male entered a TCF Bank located inside the Cub Foods Store at 256 57th Avenue NE, Fridley, Minnesota.  The robber approached the teller counter, gave the victim teller a bag, and brandished a handgun. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency, the robber fled from the bank on foot.

The robber was described as a black male with a light complexion, who was approximately 6’ to 6’1” in height and weighing approximately 200 to 215 lbs. The robber was also described as wearing a dark business suit, a white shirt, and a tan “driving cap.”

Anyone with any information regarding this robbery should contact the FBI at (701) 852-5071 or the Fridley Police Department (763) 572-3629.