Bandana Bandit Captured in South St. Paul

Ralph S. Boelter, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis FBI office, today, announced the federal arrest of Steven Lee Olson, age 47, of South St Paul, Minnesota. On Friday, October 30, 2009, at approximately 5:00 p.m., the Wakota Federal Credit Union, located at 1151 Southview Boulevard, South St. Paul, Minnesota, was robbed by a lone individual who approached bank tellers with what appeared to be a black handgun and made verbal demands for cash. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, he made a getaway in a white Dodge Intrepid. A description of the robber and getaway vehicle were transmitted via police dispatch, with witness updates of the getaway vehicle location being relayed to responding police officers. Shortly after this information aired, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, and West St. Paul police officers located the vehicle. After a brief chase, the getaway vehicle stopped at Dale and Syndicate in South St. Paul, and the driver, later identified as Olson, exited the car and attempted to flee on foot. Officers gave chase and apprehended Olson without further incident. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a black toy gun, cash, and clothing matching the description of the robber. 

On Monday, November 2, 2009, a federal criminal complaint was filed in United States District Court, District of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, charging Steven Lee Olson with one count of bank robbery for the alleged October 30, 2009, robbery of the Wakota Federal Credit Union. Also on Wednesday, Olson made his Initial Appearance in United States District Court and was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. in Minneapolis. Olson is believed to be responsible for several other recent area bank robberies.

This investigation is a joint effort by the South St. Paul Police Department and the FBI. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota is prosecuting this case.