Dressing Up Like A Woman Will NOT Keep You From Jail.
Mrs. Doubtfire Bank Robber in Custody
Bank robbers have been coming up with schemes to disguise themselves when committing their crimes since the dawn of the first bank robber. Outlaws in the Old West would often wear bandanas over their face, at least according to Hollywood. Thieves moved on to ski masks later, and then on to other types of masks, all in an attempt to thwart the witnesses, the cameras, and the police who were trying to catch them. One man in Santa Cruz took things a step further. Of course, bank robbers tend to make a substantial number of bad decisions.
Brandon Alfred Calantoc, 31, decided that his disguise would be to dress up like a woman. He had a wig, women’s clothing, and a purse and he went into a bank in Santa Cruz and robbed it. He only robbed one bank, as far as the authorities know. However, he did case another bank earlier the same day. He didn’t rob the first bank, Rabobank, but he did rob the US Bank in Santa Cruz.
It’s an interesting disguise to be sure, and it had kept him hidden well enough that the police didn’t initially arrest him for the bank robbery. The police dubbed the unknown suspect the Mrs. Doubtfire Bank Robber. As often happens, the police happened to catch a lucky break when the suspect was doing something else illegal.
How Did He Get Caught?
He wasn’t the type to stay out of trouble though – most bank robbers aren’t – and he started breaking into vehicles and taking mail from post office boxes, which is a federal crime. The police had stopped him and a woman who fit the description of suspects who had broken into a vehicle. They found drug paraphernalia and narcotics on the suspect. When they searched his vehicle, they found stolen credit cards as well as peoples’ personal information.
During the search, some keen-eyed police officers also found a purse and a locket that looked familiar. They thought that they looked very similar to the purse and the locket that was released in the surveillance photo from the bank. It turns out that they were correct, and it was the break in the case that the detectives needed. When he was being released, detectives arrested him on suspicion of bank robbery.
Criminal Penalty For Bank Robbery
Chances are good that he will be going to prison for around five years given the fact that he will be charged for the robberies as well as for possession. Unless he can figure out a disguise that will get him out of prison, he’s going away for quite a while.
Given the technology in place today, most of the disguises that criminals try to use will not work, at least not for too long. However, the fact that they usually get caught does nothing to dissuade people from trying, and chances are good that there will be more odd disguises out there in the future. Instead of robbing banks, it might be time for criminals to start putting their “talents” to better use.
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