On or about April 20, 2026, Deputies from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the City of East Bethel, Anoka County, Minnesota, regarding a reported burglary. A woman called and stated that her mother’s residence had been burglarized and that her mother had been approached by a man posing as law enforcement. A male identified as BRUCE MARK WALD [DOB REDACTED], later identified as the Defendant, called 911 and reported an assault. Officers made contact with Defendant near lot #100. Officers then met with the Victim, [NAME REDACTED] in the reports.
The Victim [NAME REDACTED] had been cooking and briefly left her home to get soup from her daughter’s residence. Victim did not lock her door. Victim was gone for approximately 15 minutes before returning home. Upon returning, Victim [NAME REDACTED] was open. She entered and saw a stainless-steel cup on her kitchen table that she had not placed there. She also noticed that a previously sealed letter was ripped open. Frightened that someone was inside her home, she began looking for her purse but could not locate it.
The Victim [NAME REDACTED], exited the residence, got into her vehicle, and called her daughter. While in her vehicle, a man approached and knocked on her window. He claimed his name was “Bruce” and that he was in the police force, undergoing training. Victim described the man as about 55 years old, with a scraggy bearded, wearing a tan Carhartt-style jacket and jeans. The man stated that he caught someone in her house and that her purse was at his residence. The man requested a ride from Victim [NAME REDACTED], but Victim [NAME REDACTED] would follow the man to his home.
Officers obtained a search warrant and located Victim’s purse and belongings inside Defendant’s residence. Officers spoke with Defendant, who stated he observed a male waiting outside Victim’s residence for her to leave. He then observed the Victim leave, and the male enter the residence. Defendant reported he entered the residence, engaged in a physical fight with the male, in the kitchen of the home, knocking over the table. Defendant reported that the man produced a gun, and he urinated on himself but was able to disarm the other male and place the gun on the kitchen table.
Defendant then reported taking the purse back to his home for safekeeping. Defendant then walked back to make contact with Victim and admitted to telling the Victim he was law enforcement to calm her down. Officers observed the Victim’s kitchen and saw no firearm, no signs of a struggle, and multiple water cups remained unspilled throughout the residence. Victim [NAME REDACTED] in the same condition as she had left it. Defendant later admitted to going through the purse when it was at his home in an attempt to find cash, as he really needed money.
