Did you hear the one about…?

At Blackburn Alarms we take security seriously! Burglars can be an unwanted nuisance or somebody’s worse nightmare! However, did you know that they can also be incredibly creative? We love a good Bonnie and Clyde story at Blackburn Alarms,  so did your hear the one about…?

Back in 2008, an unnamed man put out a recruitment advert on Craigslist. He was apparently looking to hire maintenance workers and promised wages of $28.50 per hour! Candidates, attracted by the generous wages, were told to gather at the Bank Of America for an initial meeting. The job advertisement specifically instructed them to wear yellow vests, safety goggles, a respirator mask and preferably a blue shirt.

As the unsuspecting decoys arrived at the scene, so did an armoured truck, waiting to unload cash to the bank. In a move which is seemingly inspired by The Thomas Crown Affair, the robber descended, sprayed the guard with pepper spray and made off with a substantial amount of money.

As police attended the scene to take witness statements, the confusion became apparent. Eyewitnesses described seeing somebody dressed in construction wear rob the bank…but then there were twelve other innocent bystanders dressed identically, completely throwing the police off scent.

The ingenious tale does not end here. The actual robber is known to have escaped via the inner tube of a creek, which headed for the Skykomish River, Washington. It is thought he was collected by boat by an accomplice. The case remains unsolved and the police have been unable to uncover who exactly posted the Craigslist entry in the first place!  Was this the perfect crime?

Whilst we enjoy a thrilling story, Blackburn Alarms work hard to ensure the safety of our customers. If you have any worries or require advice on a security matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.