Heroic CU Manager Nets Reward In CaptureOf Fishing Hat Bandit

EDINA, Minn. - (12/20/05) -- The credit union manager who helpedreel in the Fishing Hat Bandit got his reward after all. The FBIlast week presented Dean Wickstrom, president of Real FinancialCenter CU a $5,000 reward and a plaque commemorating Wickstrom'sactions last January when he followed the serial bank robber out ofhis credit union and tracked him, facilitating his arrest shortlyafterwards. The FBI was reluctant to pay Wickstrom the bountybecause employees are generally ineligible for rewards, but decidedto do so because of the extraordinary bravery he showed in helpingthem capture the credit union bandit, an official told The CreditUnion Journal. Wickstrom, who called police on his cell phone whilehe pursued the robber, helped police bag John Whitrock, whoconfessed to almost 20 credit union robberies in the St. Paul areaand was sentenced in September to 15 years in prison.