Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Now, What Was He Thinking?

KSHB Image
This is 60 year old Larry Rice of Abilene, KS. Mr. Rice entered the HyVee Market on 135th Street in Overland Park on Saturday. He approached the counter of the Bank of the West branch in the market, showed what appeared to be a gun and demanded money. Per the report of KSHB, he said to the teller, "I want all the money. No dye packs. Get me the money. Get me the money." He got the money in a bag and ran out of the bank. It wasn't long before authorities released this surveillance photo of him. Sunday evening, Mr. Rice dropped in at the Johnson County lock up in Olathe and turned himself in to sheriff deputies. Today, he was charged with bank robbery, and could get 20 years in jail if convicted.

Now, bank robbers can be successful. In fact, in today's Kansas City Star, there's a story about a man who has robbed 21 banks without being caught. However, if not thought out, it can be an easy crime for police to solve, especially with the cameras in the banks. It looked like Mr. Rice, well, made out like a bandit. Aside from the bank photo, there were no other clues shared with the public.

So then, I really want to know: Why did he do it? And why did he go to the police the next day? What made a 60 year old man who looks fairly normal and law abiding (we haven't seen any mug shots or driver's license photos released so all we have is this picture here and we haven't heard anything about a criminal past) go and rob a bank? It's even more intriguing now that we find out he's from out of town--Abilene KS is about 150 miles from Kansas City, MO right off I-70. Did he drive 21/2 hours just to rob a bank? Did he come for a job and that fell through and he felt desperate? Does he have a drug or alcohol problem? Does he suffer from manic depression (bipolar disorder)? Was he under the influence of something? What caused him to turn himself in the next day? Guilt? Fear of worse punishment if he got caught? Family or friends pushing him? Shame?

There's a story here. I wonder what it is.

3 comments:

Ann T. said...

Dear The Observer,
That's true-- a lot of these stories just make you go huh.

The fun of fiction is that you can make it all up! In real life we call that gossip, but what the heck. If you write it down, it's literature.

LOL,
Ann T.

Bob G. said...

Ann:
I only thought it was literature IF it was PUBLISHED...lol.
((Just messin' w/ 'ya))

God only knows what Larry's story is...or was...or even will be.

Interesting post.

The Observer said...

Ann and Bob G:

Nope, no follow up yet from the main stream media. So we are left only with conjecture about Larry.

I have a new thought. Perhaps Mr. Rice is, in reality, homeless. Rob a bank, turn your self in, three hots and a cot? Hmmmm.

The Observer, hoping for the real story one day.