Accused Bank Robber Searched For Tips Online (And Forgot To Clear Browser History), Police Say

Suspect Searched For Bank-Robbing Tips Online, Police Say

If you're going to use the Internet as a bank-robbing how-to guide, it's probably a good idea to delete your search history.

That may be the nail in the coffin for one accused bank robber, who police said looked for tips by searching, "What happens if you rob a bank" and "If you’re going to rob a bank," prior to the robbery. (We're going to assume "clear browsing data" was not one of those tips.)

Authorities in Massachusetts recently made three arrests following a robbery at the Weymouth Bank in South Weymouth Friday morning. Shortly before 11 a.m., a woman, who did not furnish a weapon, reportedly entered the bank and demanded money. She made off with an unspecified amount of cash after instructing the bank teller to not give her a dye pack (an exploding device that leaves a permanent mark on cash).

According to The Patriot Ledger, the suspect was identified from bank security footage after officers in the narcotics division recognized her as the subject of an ongoing heroin distribution investigation. Witnesses also told police the female suspect was with a male prior to the robbery.

Officers arrived at the property that was under investigation in the drug distribution case and took 27-year-old Sarah J. McLoud and Robert W. Owens, 28, into custody Friday afternoon. During a search of the Torrey Street residence, police said they found clothing worn during the bank robbery, cash stolen during the theft and a suspicious search history.

"A computer in the room showed recent searches including: What happens if you rob a bank, What happens if you rob a house, What happens if you rob a drug dealer, and If you’re going to rob a bank," the Weymouth Police Department wrote in a statement on its Facebook page along with a photo of the three suspects.

bank robber

McLoud and Owens were both charged with unarmed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed robbery, along with other charges relating to narcotics, which were also recovered during the search.

After further investigation, officers identified another man, Daniel M. Murphy, as an accomplice in the Weymouth Bank robbery. The 30-year-old, who allegedly drove the getaway vehicle, was arrested Saturday evening following a traffic stop that revealed Murphy had several Suboxone pills in his possession.

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