Thursday, April 30, 2009

greatness remembered: the man who disguised himself as a tree

Perhaps it is because he is from my home state. Maybe it is because it happened in a branch of my bank... but I believe the story of James Coldwell should be preserved for future generations.

Who is James Coldwell? He is a legend among bank robbers. A prince of ineptitude. He is the man who robbed a bank disguised as a tree.

Back in July of 2007, Coldwell, aged 49, entered a branch of the Citizen's Bank in Manchester NH. To disguise himself, he duct-taped branches of a tree to his head and torso. It was unquestionably the perfect disguise.

Unarmed, he approached the teller window and demanded money. Shocked by his unusual approach, the teller handed over an undisclosed amount of cash. James exited the bank and went home to enjoy his fortune.

Unfortunately for James, the branches didn't hide his face from security cameras (see picture). He was easily identified and was arrested a short time later.

http://bit.ly/O0lF

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