Erie Bank Robber said he would return for rest of 250K(collar bomb would go off in 22 minutes)

Erie Times-News ^ | 9/5/03

[Paradox]

Can this get any weirder?

[CJ Wolf]

curiouser and curiouser

[mhking]

This thing is getting stranger and stranger by the day.

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[lelio]

Wells asked the teller when the bank would open the vault. The teller said at 3 p.m.
Wells said he would be back for the rest of the money later.

Now that's another weird part of the story. Come back to rob it later?

[FootBall]

Maybe he wanted to get back so the bomb detonation time could be reset. Rob the rest of the money later.

Hard to say what type of thinking process people have when they have a bomb strap to the neck.

BIZARRRE!!!

[GovernmentShrinker]

That detail makes it sound even more likely that he was not doing this willingly. It sounds like a spur of the moment comment from someone afraid that when he gave his "handler" less than the amount requested, he'd be in big trouble, and forced to go back -- either to that bank or a different one -- to get the rest. Nobody who's robbing a bank on their own steam is going to even THINK about going back to the same bank for more in the foreseeable future -- it's get the money and run.

[Peach]

One of the most bizarre cases I've ever heard about.

[Alberta's Child]

Has there been any confirmation on the story in the last few days that he was carrying a concealed weapon? If he was carrying a concealed weapon, then I would tend to think he was acting under his own volition.

[GOP_Proud]

OK. This does it for me. The guy was a nut. Did it all himself or his buddy was in on it too. Give me more infor to change my mind.

He's gt a bomb around his neck and he's saying "I didn't do it".

I'd be screaming and begging and shouting "get this off of me". Loud and seriously emotional. I just didn't get this on the video.

Nothing from the witness about eratic behavior either. I ain't gonna stand in line with a bomb set to go off around my neck.

But, then again, I'm stopping the first chance I get and calling the cops anyway. I'd know by then that I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. I'm NOT going into that bank and wait in line.

[GOP_Proud]

< Nobody who's robbing a bank on their own steam is going to even THINK about going back to the same bank for more in the foreseeable future -- it's get the money and run. >

Gives me the opposite opinion. The guy was just a nut case.

[Revolting cat!]

Wells told the teller the device around his neck "is going off in 22 minutes." 

Wells also said he would return to get more money. 

About 40 minutes later, the bomb around Wells' neck exploded. The blast killed him. 

That'll teach him to lie!

[Charles Henrickson]

Erie.

[mbynack]

Has there been any confirmation on the story in the last few days that he was carrying a concealed weapon?

The cane gun was the concealed weapon.

[Diddle E. Squat]

The cane was the concealed weapon(weapon concealed in the cane). It was homemade, so likely it was given to him after they put the collar on him. This suggests that there were 2 persons, with guns drawn, at the encounter that put the collar on him.

My guess is that one or more persons at the pizza place were involved with criminal types, and came up with this scheme. One had dated the bank employee, and so figured he knew enough about that bank to target it(or maybe the bank employee was in on it, too.) Having worked with the delivery guy who would end up being killed by the bomb, they figured that they knew enough about his personality to count on him reacting in a certain manner.

What I want to know is if the pizza employee who dated the bank employee was the one found dead in his home. Either way, he likely was killed by the criminal types to silence him before he ratted out the whole scheme.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Yes, the FBI has said he was carrying a "cane-like" device capable of firing one bullet, and that it appeared to be homemade, like the bomb.

[skinkinthegrass]

Some bank tranactions require an appointment.

Now that's bad... :(

[fnord]

soundslike a cross between Blazing Saddles and Dog Day Afternoon

[Diddle E. Squat]

No, actually his reaction reinforces the idea that he was used. Think about it, whoever put the bomb on him turned the key to activate it. So now he doesn't want the police to stop him, all he wants is to get away, give the money to the scum, and hope that they'll put the key back in to turn off the bomb.

In his mind, the police don't have the key to stop the bomb, only the thugs who put it on him in the first place. Knowing that, wouldn't your first reaction be to try and get rid of the police ASAP?