Green Bay who told police he 'tried to get caught' so he could get medical care pleads guilty to robbing bank

GREEN BAY – A 63-year-old Green Bay man who told police he robbed a bank so he could receive medical care in custody pleaded guilty to the crime Wednesday.

Mark Vogel was convicted of robbery of a financial institution, a Class C felony, for stealing from BMO Harris Bank at 201 S. Military Ave. in January 2023.

He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000 or both.

On the evening of Jan. 18, 2023, police were called to the bank after a cash register alarm went off. Shortly after arrival, police found Vogel nearby with $1,761, according to a criminal complaint.

The bank branch manager told investigators he saw a man enter the building and talk to a teller, but did not realize the bank had been robbed until after the man left. When the manager went to lock the front doors while waiting for police, he saw the man standing near the building, with his bag on the ground next to him, the complaint says.

Vogel told police he robbed the bank and "tried to get caught," because he does not have health insurance and deals with multiple health issues, the complaint says.

Vogel told officers he waited for customers to leave "because he did not want to scare anyone." He also said he avoided going to an older bank teller to avoid frightening them, and instead went to a younger teller.

After the teller gave him the money, Vogel said he apologized if he had scared him, according to the complaint.

The teller told police that when Vogel demanded the teller put money in his bag, Vogel asked if the bank insured by the Federal Insurance Deposite Corporation.

Police did not find a weapon on Vogel when he was arrested. The bank teller said he believed Vogel motioned toward his waistband as if he had a gun, but Vogel denied doing this and said he carried no weapons when he robbed the bank.

Vogel indicated to police that he was desperate for health care and "wanted to apologize to the Green Bay Police Department, the community, and anyone who was affected," the complaint said.

Vogel has been at Brown County Jail since the day of his arrest. He is held in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Natalie Eilbert contributed to this report.

Kelli Arseneau can be reached at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Green Bay man pleads guilty to robbing bank and 'tried to get caught'