Police foil bank robber's scuba getaway | Seattle P-I

[Ediacara]

Police foil bank robber's scuba getaway

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A bank robber wearing a wetsuit under his clothes tried to make a scuba-diving getaway but was tackled by police before he reached the water, authorities say.

Police subdued the man Thursday on the shore of Budd Inlet after a car chase, a crash and a sweaty quarter-mile dash through the woods, during which he tried to sprint into the water while lugging his diving gear and a backpack filled with the stolen cash, Sgt. Ray Holmes said.

Charles E. Coma, 35, was jailed on suspicion of robbery.

Police said Coma held up a bank Thursday with an assault rifle and fled with an undisclosed amount of money, leading police on a two-mile car chase. After crashing into a tree, he got out and ran, wearing a weight belt with an air tank and regulator slung over his shoulder, police said.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[Cush]

1. was the backpack waterproof?

If not, that money would have become worthless.

[Ediacara]

2. not necisarily

US Cash is made of cotton and linnen, which can deal with wetness a hell of a lot better than paper can, plus the ink doesn't run when wet. Stick a $5 bill in your jeans in the laundry, it comes out fine.

[Philestine]

4. you know the party's over

when the conversation turns to the durability of bank notes

[Ediacara]

5. LOL

Welcome to DU!

[Philestine]

3. In all honesty..

..if the man goes to the laborious lengths of preparing a sub aquatic escape, don't you think he might have thought about having a water proof bag?

I'd use a condom

[htuttle]

6. I think somebody actually pulled off that heist in Milwaukee years ago

Successfully, I mean.

I think it was the Marine Bank (? not sure now) right on the Milwaukee river downtown on Wisconsin Ave. When an amored car was unloading, somebody ran up, grabbed a bag off the back of the dolly, and jumped into the river. They were never found. It was surmised that they had scuba gear waiting in the river for them.

Either that, or they just dissolved in the Milwaukee river. It's possible.

IIRC, they might have found some trace of the scuba gear up river near North avenue. It was a long time ago, however...