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Robbery suspect spray-paints face for disguise, dies
WIS TV ^ | 21 August 2009

Posted on 08/23/2009 10:29:40 AM PDT by aomagrat

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Richland County deputies say a man spray-painted his face in order to disguise himself during a robbery, but died after he had trouble breathing after the robbery.

Sheriff Leon Lott says on July 31 at around 7:00pm 23-year-old Michael Gregory Thomas and 24-year-old Thomas James entered the Sprint PCS store on Sparkleberry Lane, pulled out a guns and demanded money.

Lott says the two men stole wallets, purses and credit cards from employees as well as money from the store before ordering the employees into a bathroom while both men fled.

Lott says Thomas James spray-painted his face in order to conceal his identity during the robbery. Investigators later learned that after the robbery took place, James began having trouble breathing and died.

Witnesses from the store identified Michael Thomas as one of the robbers, and Thomas was arrested on August 17, taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and charged with armed robbery.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says they are running toxicity tests on James and are waiting for them to come back to learn James' cause of death. Watts said it will take a couple of weeks before the tests come back.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: crime; darwin; karma; napl
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A nominee for the Darwin Award.
1 posted on 08/23/2009 10:29:41 AM PDT by aomagrat
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To: aomagrat

Paint manufacturer lawsuit, most assuredly. Insufficient warning labels.


2 posted on 08/23/2009 10:32:38 AM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder (What kind of organization answers the phone if you call a suicide hotline in Gaza City?)
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To: aomagrat

And the gene pool gets just a tad deeper. With any luck, this moron DID NOT reproduce before he died.


3 posted on 08/23/2009 10:33:35 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
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To: aomagrat

Mmmm. It’s not exactly a disguise you can tear off once you’re done with he robbery


4 posted on 08/23/2009 10:33:56 AM PDT by Krankor
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To: aomagrat

“I have a cunning plan...”


5 posted on 08/23/2009 10:37:08 AM PDT by Flag_This (No, Massoud, there are no men left in Washington.)
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To: aomagrat

This reminds me of a thing I saw on TV about two bank robbers who were caught and couldn’t understand how the cops identified them. They told law enforcement officials that they were told that if they rubbed lemon juice on their faces, their faces would be blurred on the security cameras. Weird.


6 posted on 08/23/2009 10:40:53 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (January 20th, 2013)
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To: aomagrat

What color? Brown?


7 posted on 08/23/2009 10:41:09 AM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (Happiness is a choice!)
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To: aomagrat

Add this to the “lessons learned” folder.

Unsuccessful criminals improvise. Successful criminals learn from the pros. Willy Sutton said he would never have been caught if his accomplices didn’t blab to dames.


8 posted on 08/23/2009 10:43:10 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Don't anthropomorphize the robots. They hate that.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Spray paint ping.


9 posted on 08/23/2009 10:44:15 AM PDT by Clay Moore (Obama: A good example of why stupid people shouldn't vote.)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: aomagrat

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://nicedeb.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/tribettmug1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/infamous-paint-huffer-nabbed-again/&h=585&w=500&sz=103&tbnid=Zlbi0GkJ1SM5rM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpaint%2Bhuffing%2Bpicture&hl=en&usg=__P4hnPyx51cnG3OY30rsDE-zAERw=&ei=iYCRSsHXJKCltgfZsf3OBA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image


11 posted on 08/23/2009 10:50:06 AM PDT by Clay Moore (Obama: A good example of why stupid people shouldn't vote.)
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To: aomagrat
”Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says they are running toxicity tests on James and are waiting for them to come back to learn James' cause of death. Watts said it will take a couple of weeks before the tests come back.

Do hurry with those tests, there’s a line of trial lawyers patiently waiting to sue the evil spray paint company!

12 posted on 08/23/2009 10:50:15 AM PDT by ArchAngel1983 (Arch Angel- on guard)
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To: Clay Moore

If you outlaw gold paint huffing, only outlaws will huff gold paint.


13 posted on 08/23/2009 11:01:46 AM PDT by Sawdring
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To: aomagrat

Hey...worked for the Joker.


14 posted on 08/23/2009 11:04:06 AM PDT by BulletBobCo
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To: aomagrat

Socialism: father of the truly stupid.


15 posted on 08/23/2009 11:04:32 AM PDT by FourPeas (Why does Professor Presbury's wolfhound, Roy, endeavour to bite him?)
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To: Krankor
It’s not exactly a disguise you can tear off once you’re done with the robbery

Oh sure it is. I'm surprised you didn't think this through before posting. It's simple really.

Simply fill a large bowl or basin with any number of commercially available paint strippers and then submerge your face it it for the amount of time indicated on the label, usually 5-6 minutes. Then simply scrape the paint off with a sharp putty knife. Repeat application for any remaining paint.

I am sure that the individual in question had just such a plan.

16 posted on 08/23/2009 11:05:57 AM PDT by Blackhawk (God said it, I believe it, That settles it.)
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To: aomagrat

This could start a trend: Criminal self execution, spray paint supplied.


17 posted on 08/23/2009 11:10:07 AM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: aomagrat
Should have used duct tape. Works better.

Underpants are all the rage too.


18 posted on 08/23/2009 11:13:38 AM PDT by One_Upmanship
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To: Attention Surplus Disorder

>> Paint manufacturer lawsuit, most assuredly. Insufficient warning labels.

Warning’s exist on the spray cans - at least on the products I’ve purchased.

The guy probably inhaled quite a bit while getting his faced sprayed. I’m wondering if he died from poisoning or asphyxiation.


19 posted on 08/23/2009 11:14:17 AM PDT by Gene Eric
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To: Gene Eric

He died from criminal stupidity.


20 posted on 08/23/2009 11:26:14 AM PDT by Ronin (Nemo me impune lacesset)
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