A bank robbery that occurred 44 years ago in Moorhead is now being revealed by the bank employees who experienced it. The robbery involved armed gunmen, locked up workers, and even hypnosis. The two robbers, now deceased, had never publicly shared their stories before. The employees recall the fear and uncertainty they felt during the robbery, but also express empathy for the robbers. The bank employees were eventually rescued by a police officer who responded to the silent alarm. Jim Shaw reported
MOORHEAD — 44 years ago in Moorhead, a bank robbery occurred that involved armed gunmen, locked up employees, a stolen getaway car, and even hypnosis. The event has remained unforgettable for those who were working at the bank that day. However, the bank robbers involved have never publicly shared their stories until now.
The incident took place on a quiet morning at the newly opened branch of the American Bank and Trust Company on December 5, 1979. The branch was located at 30th Avenue and 20th Street South. Among the employees present were manager Margaret Messerschmidt (now deceased), assistant manager Elaine “Cookie” Ebsen, teller Marsha (last name undisclosed), and teller Stacey Foss.
At around 10:30 a.m., two men entered the bank wearing ski masks. The sight of the masks shocked Stacey. One of the men brandished a gun and declared it was a robbery, while the other man also pulled out his gun. Cookie, who was seated at her desk with an alarm button, refrained from pushing it due to the presence of the armed men. She feared that setting off the alarm might provoke a violent response.
The identities of the robbers were later revealed as Robert Frey and Robert Trkula, both from the Pittsburgh area. They had selected this particular bank because of its proximity to a highway and had not conducted any prior surveillance. The absence of security guards inside the bank prompted them to proceed with the robbery.
Marsha and Cookie were instructed to walk into Margaret’s office. Meanwhile, a police car drove by, causing suspicion among the robbers. They accused Marsha of triggering the alarm, but she denied it. Stacey, fearing for her life, stood with her hands up, awaiting further instructions.
All four employees had guns pointed at them. Cookie was close enough to observe the serial numbers on one of the guns and attempted to memorize them. In Margaret’s office, the robbers demanded to know who had access to the vault. Margaret admitted she did, and Marsha opened the door to the teller area.
Marsha pleaded with the robbers not to harm them, emphasizing that they all had young children. One of the robbers reassured them, stating that they weren’t foolish enough to cause harm. Despite their fear, the employees complied with the robbers’ demands, realizing that their lives were at stake.
Marsha proceeded to the outer vault with the combination. One of the robbers began emptying the vault into a garbage bag, and then moved on to the teller drawers. Marsha, however, deliberately avoided taking the bait money. The robber commended her for her smart choice.
Stacey was instructed to stay away from her drawer while Marsha emptied it. The robbers then asked Marsha to open the inner vault, but she informed them that it required a timer to be set. Realizing they didn’t have enough time, the robbers demanded the keys to one of the employees’ cars.
Two weeks prior, Cookie’s yellow 1975 Fiat had been involved in an accident, and the front hood was damaged. The employees believed the robbers wouldn’t get far with the car due to the damaged hood. Cookie handed over the keys to her Fiat, and the employees were subsequently confined to the bank’s mechanical room. The robbers barricaded the door and left with $28,000 and Cookie’s car.
Locked inside the mechanical room, the employees wondered if they would ever be found. Margaret, however, managed to trigger a silent alarm by tampering with the electrical panel. Unaware of this, the employees feared the robbers would return and open fire.
Moorhead Police Officer Mel Zepper received the emergency call and rushed to the scene. Although he arrived just moments after the robbers had left, he was able to free the employees from the mechanical room. They were relieved to see the police officer and assured him that they were okay.
The bank robbery of American Bank and Trust Company in Moorhead on December 5, 1979, remains a vivid memory for those involved. Now, after 44 years, the bank employees and even one of the bank robbers have chosen to share their stories publicly for the first time..
The bank robbery that occurred in Moorhead 44 years ago was a terrifying and unforgettable experience for those who worked at the American Bank and Trust Company. The incident took place at the newly opened branch on 30th Avenue and 20th Street South on a quiet morning on December 5, 1979. The employees present at the time were branch manager Margaret Messerschmidt, assistant manager Elaine “Cookie” Ebsen, teller Marsha (last name undisclosed), and teller Stacey Foss. This story has never been shared publicly until now.
The calm atmosphere was shattered when two individuals wearing ski masks entered the bank at approximately 10:30 a.m. The sight of the masked gunmen shocked Stacey, one of the tellers. Marsha recalled that one of the men brandished his gun and declared that it was a robbery. The other man also revealed his weapon. As the events unfolded, Cookie, who was seated at her desk, refrained from pushing the alarm button due to the presence of the guns. She feared that activating the alarm might escalate the situation and put their lives at risk. The robbers were later identified as Robert Frey and Robert Trkula from the Pittsburgh area, who selected the bank without any prior surveillance based on its proximity to a highway.
Marsha and Cookie were instructed to accompany the gunmen to Margaret’s office. In the midst of this, a police car drove by, leading one of the robbers to accuse Marsha of triggering the alarm. Stacey, terrified by the blame being placed on them, obediently stood with her hands raised, awaiting further instructions. Throughout the ordeal, all four employees had guns pointed at them. Cookie even managed to memorize the serial numbers on one of the guns. Margaret, being asked about the vault’s combination, indicated that she knew it. Marsha then pleaded with the robbers, revealing that they all had small children and urging them not to harm anyone. The robbers assured them that they had no intention of causing harm.
Marsha led the men to the teller area, where she opened the drawers for them. She purposely avoided taking the bait money, which impressed one of the robbers. Stacey was also instructed to step away from her drawer, and the robbers proceeded to empty the teller drawers into their bag. They then demanded access to the inner vault, but Marsha informed them that it required a timer to be set for 15 minutes. Realizing that they didn’t have enough time, the robbers asked for the keys to one of the bank employees’ cars. Coincidentally, Cookie’s yellow 1975 Fiat had recently been involved in an accident and was awaiting repairs. The employees believed that the robbers wouldn’t get far with a damaged car. Cookie reluctantly handed over her Fiat keys.
After the employees were confined to the mechanical room and the robbers left with $28,000 and Cookie’s car, Margaret took action. She banged on the electrical panel and pulled some wires, unbeknownst to the others. Margaret had triggered the silent alarm, but the employees thought the robbers were still inside the bank and feared they would return and start shooting. Meanwhile, Moorhead Police Officer Mel Zepper received the emergency call and rushed to the scene. However, he narrowly missed intercepting the robbers, who were driving Cookie’s damaged car. Zepper searched the bank building and eventually discovered the four terrified employees locked in the mechanical room.
The employees were relieved to see a police officer and worried about their chances of survival. Margaret’s quick thinking had potentially saved their lives. The employees had endured a traumatic experience, uncertain if anyone would find them. Zepper’s timely arrival helped alleviate their fears. The bank robbery in Moorhead had left an indelible mark on the employees, who had kept their stories private for over four decades..