FBI arrests suspect in credit union robbery

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 2, 2002

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has informed the Albert Lea Police Department that it arrested a suspect in the armed robbery at the United Employees Credit Union in Albert Lea that took place in July of last year.

Tuesday, April 02, 2002

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has informed the Albert Lea Police Department that it arrested a suspect in the armed robbery at the United Employees Credit Union in Albert Lea that took place in July of last year.

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Richard Matzke, 57, was arrested by the bureau investigators at an apartment in Urbandale, Iowa, Saturday morning.

The FBI believes Matzke is responsible for at least 25 bank robberies in eight Midwestern states after October 2000. The most recent holdup was on March 21 at a credit union in Norfolk, Neb.

The robbery in Albert Lea occurred around 3:40 p.m. on July 13. According to the investigation, Matzke handed a note to a teller and opened his jacket to show a handgun. He fled after taking an undisclosed amount of money from the teller.

A tip that led to the capture came from Matzke’s fianc\u00E9e who saw a bank surveillance photo printed in a Des Monies paper last week. The woman allegedly went to Matzke’s car and found a handgun, glasses and baseball cap in the trunk that match the description of the serial bank robber.

According to the investigation, the serial number of one of the bills seized from the apartment corresponded with one taken from the Norfolk credit union.

Matzke is being held in the Polk County Jail in Des Moines. Since the alleged crimes are under federal jurisdiction, he is not likely to be transported to Albert Lea, police said.

The Minnesota Banker’s Association announced after the Albert Lea holdup that it would offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment.