Man caught with dye-stained cash charged with bank robbery

by Elizabeth Baier, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — A 26-year-old man has been arrested and charged after allegedly robbing a St. Paul bank on Monday.

Authorities have charged Donteh Lamont Smith, of St. Paul, with one felony count for robbing the TCF Bank at 1988 Suburban Avenue in St. Paul.

According to the FBI in Minneapolis, Smith was alone when he passed a teller a note demanding an undisclosed amount cash.

A St. Paul police officer later identified Smith walking on Ruth Street near I-94, in the vicinity of the bank and police later found the dye-stained cash in Smith's possession.

Dye packs, often hidden in the loot, explode as a way to permanently stain stolen money in order to help track robbery suspects.

Smith made his first court appearance on Wednesday and was ordered detained pending further court action.