Sep 19, 2007 7:47 pm US/Central
Kidnapped For Ransom, Police Search For Suspect
Apple Valley, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Investigators say the suspect handcuffed the grandmother, then drove her and the 2-year-old to the Apple Valley TCF Bank.
CBS
Authorities are working up a description of the suspect in an Apple Valley bank robbery in which the mother and son of a bank branch manager were held hostage.
"I can only imagine how horrific it was for them," said Dakota County Sheriff Chief Deputy Dave Bellows.
The incident started Tuesday morning when a man, who claimed to be a law enforcement officer, took a grandmother and her grandson hostage at a home in rural Dakota County.
"He identified himself as a police officer. He wasn't in uniform, he was lead into the residence. Once he was in the residence he took the grandmother hostage," said Bellow.
Investigators say the suspect handcuffed the grandmother, then drove her and the 2-year-old to the Apple Valley TCF Bank.
"Was given specific instructions to take money from the bank and then she was given further instructions where to leave it. She followed the instructions because she was told that her mother and child were being held hostage," said Bellow.
An undisclosed amount of ransom money was dropped off at the Farmington ice arena where the kidnapper picked it up.
The hostages were released at a kindergarten center a few blocks away.
"The school followed school procedures, which is they knew the threat was outside of the school building and so they went into what's called a modified lockdown," said Farmington School District Spokesperson Aaron Tinklenberg.
School personnel called 911 for the victims
"Obviously, wouldn't want that to happen to anybody. And I can't imagine what it was like," said Tinklenberg.
"Obviously they're shaken up, this was a traumatic experience for everybody. But the bottom line is everybody is safe," said Bellows.
The bank manager's husband said the family was instructed not to speak to anyone.
A spokesman for TCF Bank said he's happy no customers or employees were hurt. They're concerned about the victims and hope that as time goes on they can overcome the trauma.
Bellows said a sketch of the suspect should be available soon.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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