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27. 01. 12. - 15:00

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27. 01. 12. - 15:00

Elderly bank robber gets lost in hire car getaway vehicle

A 70-year-old German grandpa was arrested this week after committing his second bank robbery in Austria. The elderly man was eventually caught after he got lost on local rural roads in his hire car getaway vehicle.

The pensioner, Wolfgang S., robbed a bank in Tyrol on 16 December last year in which he passed a note across the bank counter saying "no crap, money here". He put the money in a carrier bag and fled.

On Wednesday this week he committed his second crime. Shortly before midday the grandpa went to a branch of Raiffeisenbank in Flachgau. The man reportedly said he had a gun and a bomb on him and demanded 50,000 Euros. According to police spokesperson Michael Rausch the man threatened the bank employee with his hand in his jacket pocket whilst saying the worlds "Money", "quick, quick and more". He made off with 29,400 Euros which he had piled into a red rucksack.

Three other employees were also aware of the man’s actions including the bank manager. After the 70-year-old made his escape the manager followed him for about 6 kilometres to Trimmelkam in his own car before eventually losing sight of him. The elderly man was eventually arrested after the bank manager made his sighting and was found with the red rucksack and a hood that he had used to cover his face during the robbery.

The pensioner had hired a black Ford Fiesta from a car hire centre in Rosenheim in Germany to use as his getaway vehicle. "Several sightings of the man narrowed the search field little by little," explained Rausch. The man was transferred to Salzburg where he was questioned that evening but the motive is still unknown.

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