Crime & Safety

Mark Wetsch Admits to 30 ‘Man in Black’ Robberies, Including in Hopkins

Wetsch pleaded guilty Monday to charges of robbing five banks and admitted robbing more than two dozen more.

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The person accused of being the 'Man in Black' bank robber admitted on Monday that he .

Mark Wetsch, 49, of Minneapolis, made the admission as part of guilty plea to five charges of bank robbery at other Minnesota banks between April 26, 2011, and Dec. 27, 2011. Wetsch had previously pleaded guilty to a 2012 bank robbery in Brewster, MN, that led to his arrest.

The robbery charges result from the theft of:

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  • $9,350 from the First National Bank in Hastings on Dec. 27, 2011
  • $3,634 from the Wells Federal Bank in St. Peter on Dec. 22, 2011
  • $3,801 from the Premier Bank in Albertville on Nov. 9, 2011
  • $9,445 from the Merchants Bank in Hampton on May 13, 2011
  • $3,050 from the United Educators Credit Union in Eden Prairie on April 26, 2011

Wetsch admitted "he wore a black mask and brandished a firearm believed to be real," according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 14 years.

Prosecutors did not charge Wetsch with the Hopkins robbery, but it was one of 25 additional bank robberies in 2011 that he admitted to, bringing the total stolen to more than $110,000:

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December 29, 2011 Glenwood State Bank of Alexandria  $3,200  December 20, 2011 Franklin Bank of Minneapolis $2,350  December 14, 2011 M&I Bank of St. Paul $1,645  December 7, 2011 Premier Bank of Bloomington $850  December 5, 2011 US Bank of Hopkins $3,106  November 30, 2011 Central Bank of Minneapolis $803  November 22, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $2,907  November 13, 2011 TCF Bank of Arden Hills $4,900  November 9, 2011 Richfield Bloomington Credit Union  attempted robbery   November 4, 2011 First National Bank of Lakes, Richfield  $8,823  November 1, 2011 Paragon Bank of Shakopee $1,444  October 22, 2011 Prior Lake State Bank, Prior Lake $7,200  June 13, 2011 First National Bank of Minnesota of Gaylord $6,946 June 3, 2011 Sherburne State Bank, Clear Lake  $3,000  April 26, 2011 Wells Fargo Bank, Faribault $2,225  April 26, 2011 Richfield Bloomington Credit Union  attempted robbery   April 14, 2011 US Federal Credit Union of Northfield  $5,280  April 11, 2011 Sterling State Bank of Savage $1,885  March 9, 2011 Klein Bank of Cologne $11,400  March 7, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $2,030  February 17, 2011 First National Bank of Orono $4,000  February 10, 2011 United Educators Credit Union of Columbia Heights  $1,500 February 9, 2011 US Bank of St. Paul $1,000  February 4, 2011 Central Bank of Minneapolis  $1,056  January 11, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $6,000

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Related:

  • Nobles County Drops State Charges Against 'Man-in-Black' Suspect
  • Hopkins Not Included in Charges Against 'Man in Black' Suspect
  • FBI Continues to Investigate 'Man in Black' Robberies
  • Nobles County Charges 'Man in Black' Suspect
  • FBI Investigating Whether Brewster Robbery Suspect is 'Man in Black'
  • (PHOTO) 'Man in Black' Robber Hits Bloomington Bank
  • (PHOTOS) Hopkins U.S. Bank Branch Robbed Monday

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