Florida man buys face mask at gas station before failed robbery across street: police
A Florida man was caught on video purchasing a face mask from a gas station before walking across the street to burglarize a bank, police said.
According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office, Colton Vanhonhenstein, 33, tried – and failed – to burglarize a bank after he purchased a face mask to conceal his identity on Saturday, June 15.
Law enforcement said the Florida man was caught on security camera buying the mask before he sauntered to a Wells Fargo bank branch across the street.
Police said that the bank was closed, but left unlocked, at the time of the attempted burglary.
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Vanhonhenstein allegedly entered the bank, but did not make it far.
According to deputies, the Wells Fargo Bank alarm security system notified the sheriff's office of a "bank robbery in-progress."
The alarm system also notified law enforcement that the intruder was masked, police said.
By the time deputies arrived, the suspect was already gone.
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The alarm company later confirmed that there was a delay in the system which did not notify the sheriff's office for at least an hour, police said.
With the help of the security footage, Vanhonhenstein was later found and arrested.
"He was charged with burglary despite the fact that the only thing he walked with was the mask that set him back five bucks," officials said.
Deputies are investigating why the bank’s doors were left unlocked and why the alarm monitoring company was delayed in their response.