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Fugitive Article

August 06, 2007

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Minn. police nab the WD-40 bandit

By Randy Furst
The Minnesota Star Tribune

Pierre B. Plude decided to access ATM machines in Crystal and Robbinsdale on Thursday, but evidently, without an ATM card, according to court documents.

The 21-year-old Brooklyn Park man tried to pry open cash machines at four banks in the early morning hours, Thursday, using screwdrivers, a pair of pliers. and WD-40, police said.

"They were all unsuccessful," said Brandon Johnson, a Crystal police investigator.

According to police and charges filed Monday in Hennepin County District Court:

Plude was arrested on his fourth attempt, when his amateur efforts tripped an alarm at the TCF Bank at 6830 Bass Lake Rd. in Crystal at 3:56 a.m.

Police Officer Adam Harrer, just two few blocks away, was alerted to the alarm and drove over. He spotted a man who appeared to be tampering with the cash machine.

Harrer chased Plude around the outside of the bank and saw him hop in a car. A second officer in a patrol car saw the vehicle speed away and pulled Plude over.

Police discovered that three other bank ATMs in the area were also damaged overnight, beginning at 12:01 a.m. at the Citizen's Independent Bank at 3700 W. Broadway in Robbinsdale, followed by the Associated Bank at 7001 Bass Lake Rd. and the Wells Fargo Bank at 7000 Bass Lake Rd., both in Crystal.

His efforts yielded not a dollar, but investigator Johnson said authorities have surveillance photos or digital video of two of the unsuccessful thefts, including at the TCF Bank where Officer Harrer surprised him.

While running from Harrer, Plude dropped a red-handled screwdriver.

According to a police report filed by Johnson, Plude "admitted to attempting to steal money from each of the ATM machines because his family was having financial problems."

Police also found in the area another black screwdriver, a small can of WD-40 and a pair of black gloves.

In Plude's car, they found more gloves, an ATM computer board, a Panasonic surveillance camera and more screwdrivers. Plude was also carrying a pair of pliers.

Plude has been charged with one count of fleeing a police officer, and two counts of attempted theft over $1,000.

Copyright 2007 The Minnesota Star Tribune

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