April 11--A man has been charged with robbing a downtown Minneapolis bank after authorities said he left his backpack -- containing an ID card -- in the taxi he used to get away.
Andrew J. Puopolo, 43, of Mound, was charged Monday in Hennepin County District Court with holding up the BNC Bank at 733 Marquette Av. S. on Friday. He remains jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint:
The suspect, wearing a black, puffy winter coat and carrying a backpack, approached a teller and demanded money verbally and with a note. The note also said he had a gun.
After leaving the bank carrying a Target bag stuffed with cash, including several bills with pre-recorded serial numbers (bait money), the robber hopped into a cab about a block away.
While en route to his home in Mound, he used the driver's telephone and called his girlfriend.
Arriving at his destination, Puopolo failed to pay his fare and ran away, leaving his backpack in the taxi, the complaint said. Inside the backpack was an identification card with his name on it as well as methadone prescribed to him.
Puopolo's girlfriend told police that "just prior to the police arriving, he began to frantically look for his backpack, unaware that he had left it in the cab," the complaint read.
Officers arrived at Puopolo's home and recovered a black puffy jacket from the garbage, then staked out the place until he came home.
Officers found $1,399 in his wallet, including some of the bait money. Police also discovered bait money in his girlfriend's purse.
PAUL WALSH
Copyright 2012 - Star Tribune, Minneapolis
