Today's Doofus award is belated, because the incident in question occurred in January 2008. However, when I read the report, I realized it was such a classic example of Doofidity that I simply had to give the culprit an award: so, on the principle of 'better late than never', here it is.
A bank robber's cunning plan to disguise his identity by coating his face with plaster sadly turned out not to be the criminal masterstroke he was hoping for.
Robert Coulson Lavery, 56, of York County, Pennsylvania, was convicted last Wednesday for robbing the New Cumberland Federal Credit Union in Fairview Township on November 2006.
He got away with $7,910, partly due to his wonderful idea of impersonating a wall by smearing drywall all over his face.
Regrettably for his burgeoning felonious career, however, while his identity was impossible to discern through the thick layers of building material, the distinctive NASCAR plate on the front of the getaway car was a little bit of a giveaway.
The police were able to trace the car to his getaway driver, 53-year-old Robert Steven Miller, after a tip-off about the plate. Miller then sang like a canary, and would ultimately plead guilty to robbery and theft.
Lavery was arrested at Miller's house, where authorities found some suggestive evidence – like $3,775 in cash, and large amounts of plasterboard compound smeared over clothing and the passenger seat of the car.
Yep. Nothing like leaving a trail of evidence like that!
Peter
I don't remember if I've mentioned it here before...Google doesn't think so.
ReplyDeleteIndiana gives non-resident military a break on license plate costs. The license bureau near Grissom AFB used a 52 prefix for most plates, and 52G for nonresident military.
A couple of Air Force security police stationed at the same base as I was robbed several banks, using a car with 52G license plates as the getaway vehicle. They also used their issued handguns that they checked out of the armory prior to each robbery, and checked back in after. They were caught immediately after the last robbery eating breakfast, in a truck stop frequented by highway patrol still with the loot, guns and their getaway car.