Arrest Made in Attempted Robbery of Minnetonka Bank

The FBI has arrested a man they say tried to rob a Minnetonka bank on Feb. 18.  The case was also investigated by Minnetonka Police. 

Jan Michael Wangsted, 32, has also been charged with felony simple robbery in Hennepin County. It’s a charge that could mean up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Wangsted is from Bagley, MN.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County, Wangsted is a registered sex offender who “recently absconded from probation.”

Both Wangsted’s wife and Sherriff Mike Erickson from Clearwater County, MN, identified Wangsted from bank surveillance footage of the incident.

According to the FBI and Minnetonka Police, just before noon Feb. 18, a man approached a teller at the TCF Bank on Plymouth Road in Minnetonka and told the teller to give him all of her 50s and 100s. Instead of handing over any money, the teller locked the cash drawer and simply walked away. The would-be robber reportedly yelled, “Ma’am, ma’am” as the teller left her post.

According to the court papers, Wangsted was interviewed after his arrest by FBI agents in Nolan County, TX. During that interview, Wangsted reportedly admitted attempting to rob the bank, adding that he “sternly” demanded the teller hand over money.

Minnetonka Police said the suspect didn't display a weapon during the incident, though in the interview cited in the criminal complaint, Wangstad reportedly told FBI agents he was carrying a plastic toy gun at the time of the attempted robbery. The suspect was last seen fleeing the bank on foot—confirmed by the a group of Girl Scouts inside the bank at the time—and Wangsted reportedly told the FBI after his capture that he “ran away as quickly as possible.”

It is standard practice for the FBI and police to team up to investigate local bank robberies.