"Bank Robber’s Disguise"
Graham is a handyman in Manchester, New Hampshire. The problem is, Graham is not very handy with tools. People hired him to fix leaky faucets or replace pull-down attic stairs, but the jobs are seldom done right. Graham can't earn enough money to live on.
This hapless guy comes up with a plan he thinks will solve his problem. He decides to rob a bank. Graham read about Willie Sutton, the infamous bank robber who once said he robbed banks because "that’s where the money is."
Graham created a plan. He entered a bank late one morning wearing a disguise which he’d spent weeks designing. He figured that’d hide his identity.
Everything goes according to Graham’s plan. He enters the bank in full disguise wielding a double-barreled shotgun. None of the bank people know the shotgun isn't loaded. Graham doesn't want anybody to get hurt. But the fact is, if the perpetrator uses a firearm and the victims believe it’s deadly — it’s still armed robbery.
Graham gets away with an undisclosed amount of bank money and the cops have no clue who did the job. But they do have videotape from the bank’s cameras.
Crime Stoppers offers a reward and the local television stations offer to run the video of the robbery with the hope that somebody will recognize the robber.
Within 20 minutes after the 11 o’clock news police get almost 15 calls from people who identify the bank robber. They all name the same guy — Graham The Handy Man.
He’s wearing a disguise. How could he be so easy to identify? Oh yes, I forgot to mention that Graham's disguise makes him look like a tree. Yes, a tree. He has maple tree branches duct-taped to his chest, arms and back, and twigs taped on his arms and legs. Bad mistake — Graham forgot to cover his face. This was not a real secure disguise.
Strange as this caper sounds, Graham will, if convicted, serve up to 10 years in federal prison for armed bank robbery — and that’s not real funny.
Copyright-Bob Ford 2007
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