Dumbest Bank Robber Ever

[movingex]

Career criminal hands over debit card, Texas ID during bungled Dallas bank robbery 3:32 PM CT | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News

Despite 30 years of practice, Nathan Wayne Pugh still hasn't quite gotten the whole crime thing down.

His "robbery" of the Wells Fargo Bank in the 4200 block of Lemmon Avenue on July 26 is making the rounds among local police and federal agents.

"It's almost unheard of," FBI spokesman Mark White said of Pugh's tactics.

Police say that at about lunchtime on that Monday, the 49-year-old Sachse man walked into the bank and approached a teller. At the time, he had been out of prison for a year, on parole for aggravated robbery.

Pugh informed the teller he wanted to "make a withdrawal," according to a federal criminal complaint. When she asked him how much, he passed her a scrap of paper. He was carrying a Whataburger bag.

"This is not a bag of food," the note said, adding that the bag contained a "bom." The note further ordered her to "put money in an envelope and do not make any move till after I have left for ten minutes."

The teller, who police said was a recent hire, remained calm. She told Pugh she would need his identification in order to give him any money.

He pulled out his Wells Fargo debit card and handed it to her.

"How much would you like back?" she asked. "Two thousand," he said.

The teller told him that, to get that much money, he would need to show her a second form of identification. Pugh then gave her a state of Texas ID card, bearing his name.

As she took his card, she pressed the silent alarm at her teller station. She then informed him that she only had $900 in her cash drawer, but that she could go to the back of the bank to get more money.

Pugh elected to take the $900, which he tucked into his shirt pocket. He remembered to get his debit card and ID back, police said.

As he turned to make his escape, he noticed uniformed Dallas police officers at the entrance. He apparently decided to take a hostage to force his way out. Walking to a woman holding a child in the lobby, he grabbed her from behind in a choke hold and told her to put her baby down.

"He told her if she didn't cooperate, he would kill her," White said.

The woman decided to fight back. She wrestled Pugh – who stands 5 feet 6 inches – to the floor. Officers rushed over and arrested him.

Pugh was released on parole in July 2009. In 1996, he received 25 years for two counts of aggravated robbery out of Dallas County.

Pugh's crime career stretches to 1980, when he received his first of three DWIs. He received 10 years for cocaine possession in 1990, and was out of prison in time to commit the two Dallas County aggravated robberies. He also has convictions in Dallas County for burglary and driving with a suspended license.

Pugh, who is being held at the Seagoville federal prison, turned down an interview request. His court-appointed attorney did not return messages Wednesday.

[donlfaulkner]

Too dumb to make an honest living. Too dumb to be a criminal. Maybe he should run for congress.

[andyz]

This sounds as though it is a comical robbery that was really handled poorly by the bank and the police. You want the robber out the door so the police can get him there, not in a hostage situation in the lobby.

I suppose the only thing the thief did right was to not sign a withdrawal slip.

[tertius]

Originally Posted by andyz

This sounds as though it is a comical robbery that was really handled poorly by the bank and the police. You want the robber out the door so the police can get him there, not in a hostage situation in the lobby.

I suppose the only thing the thief did right was to not sign a withdrawal slip.

How was it handled poorly by the police?

[andyz]

Sounded like they approached him before he left the lobby. What if he was armed? He was in a hostage rich environment and then could have been deadly.

A recent CA robbery had a customer play the hero. He forced the robbers hand and both he and another customer were shot. The customer then expected the bank to pay him while he was convalescing and couldn't work. The bank wants the robber out so this doesn't happen. Many banks shy away from armed guards for this reason.

[tertius]

I would understand if they just approached when he was walking to the door, but the article seems to state otherwise.

"As he turned to make his escape, he noticed uniformed Dallas police officers at the entrance."

Police can not respond to the alarm that fast. In addition to that, there are uniformed officers in most Wells Fargo Banks in Dallas. Especially banks with close highways or numerous escape routes.

"He apparently decided to take a hostage to force his way out. Walking to a woman holding a child in the lobby, he grabbed her from behind in a choke hold and told her to put her baby down.

"He told her if she didn't cooperate, he would kill her," White said.

The woman decided to fight back. She wrestled Pugh – who stands 5 feet 6 inches – to the floor."

Sounds like they observed a fight in the lobby and broke it up only to find out that he was a robber.

But yes, the bank wants the robber out ASAP and for great reason. IMO the teller was quite ignorant in trying to play hero. The teller will probably be fired for not following protocol.

[donlfaulkner]

Seems to me she did fine. She delayed him as long as she could. Plus she got his ID.

[andyz]

Getting the ID isn't bad, but the thrust for the safety of the employees and customers is give them what they want so they can leave. If someone invades your home do you want them gone, or to delay them until the police arrive? (Hint, you don't really know when the police will arrive.)