Policeman robs bank then takes on the case

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish police officer has confessed that he robbed a bank and later investigated the crime himself, telling reporters at the time police had no clues.

The 36-year-old was officially charged on Monday by Bollnas district court in central Sweden for the December 17 armed robbery, according to court documents obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.

How much money the policeman stole was not disclosed but described as sizeable. An hour after the crime he returned to the bank as a leading police investigator handling the case.

Colleagues became suspicious in mid-November when he bought a new car, paying 219,000 Swedish crowns (16,700 pounds) in cash using banknotes from the robbery, the court said.