Robber hires Craigslist stooges as getaway decoys

by Stevie Smith - Oct 3 2008, 18:56

The Craigslist Web site may well have its detractors but, when it comes to employment opportunities, its wealth of variety is hard to argue against. And that variety was taken to a whole new level this week when a forward-thinking criminal used the online service to hire some unwitting saps to help execute a wily getaway plan.

Wily robber uses Craigslist to employ getaway decoys. Image: The Consumerist/Flickr.

At approximately 11:00am this past Tuesday, said criminal mastermind successfully held up an armoured truck outside a Bank of America in Monroe, Washington, after which he swiftly fled the scene ahead of evading the authorities by riding an inner tube down the nearby Skykomish River, reports Seattle's King5.According to an attentive office employee working close to the targeted Branch of America, the robber initially appeared to be a contractor and was equipped with prerequisite qualifying items such as safety goggles and a dust mask.On approaching the armoured truck guard, the robber proceeded to shoot a blast of pepper spray in his face, tearing a bag of money away from his grasp in the process before then sprinting towards a creek around 100 metres away. The witness also said the fleeing criminal was discarding certain items of clothing as he bolted.Meanwhile, at least a dozen male workers hired via e-mail through Craigslist were converging on the Bank of America branch in the belief they were meeting with a contractor at 11:00am in order to carry out routine road maintenance in the area.All of the unsuspecting men were kitted in similar attire, which they had been individually instructed to wear after replying to the Craigslist job advert. Each of them was wearing and a yellow vest and blue shirt, and also carrying safety goggles and a respiration mask -- almost the exact combination of clothing worn by the fleeing robber who had been there only moments before their arrival.With unsuspecting decoys wearing variations on the same set of clothing and gear arriving at the Bank of America, the fleet-footed crook made good on his escape by riding an inner tube down the creek and into the Skykomish River, where the Monroe Police believe he likely scrambled back onto dry land and was picked up by waiting accomplices.The Monroe Police are now working alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation in an attempt to track the criminal’s movements prior to the robbery. They are eager to talk with anyone who responded to the Craigslist advert and have encouraged local residents to come forward with any potentially helpful information that could lead to the man’s apprehension.

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TJzizOct 6th, 2008 - 09:38:13

Sadly, this guy will likely get caught, but part of me wishes he's smart enough not to get greedy and won't get caught because that was actually really cool.

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