Stealing a GPS device is a crime. So is robbing a bank.

I was reading the Chicago Tribune and saw this hi-teck, bank security story I thought our BOL readers would be interested in.

The TCF Bank in Calumet City, IL was recently robbed. Timothy Rucker, Phillip Griffen, and Brandon Barnes met at Rucker's parents house to plan the robbery. Two of the men, wearing masks, entered the bank. One held a handgun while the other jumped over the teller counter. They left the bank and escaped in two different cars. Well, almost. Griffen had locked his keys in the car so the police picked him up walking away. He was in the police cruiser and was able to roll down the window and open the door, in an attempt to escape custody. He was recaptured.

Within an hour the police were inside Rucker's home where they found Barnes, the gun, the cash and the GPS device that was concealed in the bait money. The GPS device was quite successful in leading police to the cash and the robbers.



Rucker returned soon after and was also arrested. The report indicates he was ready and willing to talk at this point.

This is new technology. It is nice to see that it was successful in this case. The FBI in Chicago indicate this was a first for them in closing a bank robbery so quickly.