CRAIG’S COLLISION CENTER HELPS NAB ROBBERS:

Certain staff members of Craig’s Collision Center on Beach Street in Fort Worth, Texas, may want to add “crime stopping” to their resumes. According to Craig’s, around 10 a.m. on a recent Monday morning two men brought in their 1997 GMC pickup to repair damage to the right side of the vehicle. Craig’s estimator Doug Germany wrote the repair order and explained to the men that due to a high deductible they would have to pay $996 for the deductible, and the insurance company would pick up the remainder of the repair cost. The men arranged for a loaner car and then went on their way, which seemed to be the Frost Bank further north on Beach Street, where they allegedly robbed the bank. Both men reportedly were seen fleeing the scene in their rental car. Fort Worth police and FBI traced the license plate to the Hertz location at the Beach Street Craig’s Collision Center. Gary Carley, facility manager, was contacted and information on the alleged bank robbers was compiled. Ironically, the robbers then called Craig’s to add additional liability insurance coverage to their rental car. They were told to return to the store so the car could be inspected and to fill out additional paperwork. Upon arriving at Craig’s, the alleged robbers, Laffoon and Isaacs, proceeded to the car rental desk to upgrade their coverage. While waiting for the rental car representative to complete the paperwork, Laffoon instructed Doug Germany, Craig’s estimator, to “go ahead and fix the rear bumper too,” while the truck was in for repairs. Meanwhile, in the back hallway, the police and FBI agents waited with guns drawn. As the two men walked through the outside door, members of the Fort Worth SWAT team, FBI agents and Fort Worth police officers confronted Laffoon and Isaacs and took them into custody. A handgun was recovered from the rental car. According to Fort Worth robbery Sergeant Kevin Morton, the two men are also suspects in the robbery of a Wells Fargo bank on July 8, and Bank One robberies July 15 and July 27. Both men are reportedly in federal custody.

Topics Auto