Bank robber hits Valley Bank South Branch

By FRITZ BUSCH

and KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writers

NEW ULM -- Law enforcement officials searched a wooded area east of South Broadway Friday afternoon, looking for a suspect in a robbery that occurred shortly after noon at a New Ulm bank.

An undisclosed amount of money was taken from the south branch of Valley Bank & Trust, at 1823 S. Broadway. Investigators would not release the exact dollar amount taken in the robbery.

As of this writing, no arrests had been made in the investigation, but Sgt. Myron Wieland of the New Ulm Police Department said that NUPD is fielding information and has interviewed several bank employees and witnesses to the robbery. Wieland said investigators "have no true suspect at this time."

According to an FBI press release, a lone white male entered the bank at about 12:19 p.m. and demanded money. The man said he had a gun and would use it if his demands weren't met. The man obtained the money and left the bank. He was last seen running east of the bank toward the Minnesota River.

The FBI press release described the suspect as a white male, approximately 20 years of age, 5'9" to 5'11" tall, a thin build, between 145-165 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and possible acne marks on the cheeks. The suspect was wearing a blue hat, tan and baggy Dockers pants, a blue fleece scarf across the face, a red fleece pullover jacket and white tennis shoes with a yellow and black pattern across the toe area.

Officials are looking for a brown or carmel-colored, early '90s Ford Crown Victoria or Chevrolet Caprice that may have been used in the robbery.

New Ulm Police officers were joined in the search by the the FBI, a Minnesota State Patrol airplane, Lake Crystal Police Department K-9 unit and sheriff's departments from Brown, Blue Earth and Nicollet counties.

Wieland said New Ulm police officers searched the area and were able to determine that the suspect was headed due north after the robbery, but were unable to find anyone who had seen a person running in that direction.

The Minnesota Banker's Association is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the bank robber. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI's Minneapolis office at (612) 376-3200 or the New Ulm Police Department at (507) 233-6750.