In a brazen move paralleling heist plots from Hollywood movies, a creative crook apparently used a Craigslist ad to employ a dozen unsuspecting decoys to assist him in getaway following an armor truck robbery outside a Bank of America branch in Monroe, Washington.

According to eyewitness reports, the suspect was “wearing a dust mask, a particle mask” and “had a pump sprayer” which was then used to pepper spray a guard carrying a bag of money. The suspect described as a white male in his 20s, between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10, wearing a dark blue shirt, jean shorts and a mask, then ran about 100 yards to the creek that runs into the Skykomish River, shedding clothes as he ran.

Planning ahead, the suspect had also pre-orchestrated a getaway attempt to thwart anyone on his trail. Using the popular Internet site Craigslist, he had recruited at least a dozen unsuspecting decoys waiting nearby.

“‘I came across the ad that was for a prevailing wage job for $28.50 an hour,’ said Mike, who saw a Craigslist ad last week looking for workers for a road maintenance project in Monroe.

He said he inquired and was e-mailed back with instructions to meet near the Bank of America in Monroe at 11 a.m. Tuesday. He also was told to wear certain work clothing.

‘Yellow vest, safety goggles, a respirator mask… and, if possible, a blue shirt,’ he said.

Mike showed up along with about a dozen other men dressed like him, but there was no contractor and no road work to be done. He thought they had been stood up until he heard about the bank robbery and the suspect who wore the same attire.”

Source: King5.com