It may seem odd to hear of a 78-year-old being arrested, much less being arrested for simple robbery and terroristic threats, but that is exactly what happened to a man late last month in Minneapolis.
The man is accused of a felony theft crime after he allegedly tried to rob a bank on East Franklin Avenue.
Anyone who is charged with something as serious as bank robbery must work with a criminal defense attorney if he or she wants a fighting chance of trying to clear his or her name. Theft crimes, especially felony theft crimes, can mean many years behind bars and will leave an individual with a severe criminal record. Trying to resolve criminal issues on one’s own may actually make a situation worse, and with such serious consequences following a conviction for robbery, it is not a risk many are willing to take.
In this situation, Minneapolis police are saying that the 78-year-old man arrived at the Wells Fargo on East Franklin with the intent to rob the branch. He apparently went up to a teller with a note that told the teller to give him money or “the teller’s family would be killed.” As he tried to leave the branch with the small amount of money that was given to him by the teller, the bank’s security guard and an off-duty police officer arrested him.
It is unknown what caused the security guard to effectuate the arrest and whether he had sufficient suspicion to arrest him at that point. As more information comes out, the septuagenarian may find a defense that could get the charges dropped or lead to an acquittal.
Source: Pioneer Press, “Minneapolis: 78-year-old bank robbery suspect charged,” Elizabeth Mohr, June 20, 2012
