Thief Uses Craigslist Employment Ad as "Getaway Car"
I came across this fascinating tale on Kottke.org. Apparently, a guy robbed an armored car in Seattle, and thwarted his pursuers by previously placing a phony classified ad on Craigslist. Here's an excerpt from the write-up at CNET News:
It appears to have unfolded this way, according to a Seattle-based NBC affiliate: around 11:00 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, the robber, wearing a yellow vest, safety goggles, a blue shirt, and a respirator mask went over to a guard who was overseeing the unloading of cash to the bank from the truck. He sprayed the guard with pepper spray, grabbed his bag of money, and fled the scene.
But here's the hilarious twist. The robber had previously put out a Craigslist ad for road maintenance workers, promising wages of $28.50 per hour. Recruits were asked to wait near the Bank of America right around the time of the robbery — wearing yellow vests, safety goggles, a respirator mask, and preferably a blue shirt. At least a dozen of them showed up after responding to the Craigslist ad.
Apparently, the actual getaway car was an inner tube — the guy floated away on a nearby creek.
These are some creative Craigslist outlaws! The only ones we seem to hear about around here are the prostitutes.
