These robbers should have been more mindful of their surroundings. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable instances in which would-be thieves who were captured on tape received swift karma for their actions.
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00:00 Despite having his business ransacked, store owner Jeremias Berganza couldn't help but
00:05 laugh at the thief's disguise.
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable instances
00:13 in which would-be thieves who were captured on tape received swift karma for their actions.
00:19 There's one problem.
00:23 He's been drinking.
00:26 Number 10.
00:27 Firefighter Intervention.
00:29 You should never underestimate the power and resolve of an innocent bystander.
00:33 Dylan Bearden learned this lesson the hard way when his attempted robbery of a convenience
00:37 store in Midlothian, Texas took an unexpected turn.
00:41 The would-be assailant could have never known that one of the individuals he was holding
00:45 up, Daniel Gasky, had trained for situations like this.
00:53 Displaying remarkable courage and quick thinking, the former Marine-turned-firefighter promptly
00:57 tackled Bearden, disarmed him, and held him down for several minutes until authorities
01:02 arrived.
01:03 Gasky's swift and selfless actions not only prevented a potentially dangerous situation
01:09 from escalating, but also showcased the unwavering dedication of first responders.
01:21 Number 9.
01:22 Lonnie Pierce.
01:23 In the early 2010s, the city of San Francisco experienced a sharp rise in bike thefts.
01:29 To combat this, they introduced a bait bike program.
01:32 Using seemingly ordinary bicycles equipped with GPS technology that allows law enforcement
01:37 to track them after they're stolen.
01:39 In 2015, San Francisco police strategically placed one of these bait bikes in the Mission
01:45 District.
01:49 Although it grabs the attention of a few people, none of them make a move on it until
01:53 Lonnie Pierce comes along.
01:57 The career criminal easily breaks the lock and pedals away with the two-wheeler, unknowingly
02:02 activating the GPS device.
02:04 It doesn't take long for the cops to trace his location and swiftly place him in handcuffs.
02:12 Number 8.
02:13 Wang of Jiangsu Province, China.
02:16 If there's one thing to learn from this entry, it's that movies certainly are not
02:20 reality.
02:21 This man from Jiangsu Province, China, identified only as Wang, learned that lesson a little
02:26 too late.
02:27 Apparently inspired by foreign films, Wang devised a plan to rob ATMs by pouring drinks
02:32 into them.
02:39 He had hoped to cause a malfunction that would trigger the machines to eject all of their
02:43 cash.
02:44 But the only thing he caused was about $22,000 worth of damages.
02:48 The man was later found to have done the same thing to two other ATMs.
02:52 Using the ATM camera footage, police identified Wang and tracked him down to a local internet
02:56 bar.
02:57 During his arrest, he reportedly feigned innocence and unsuccessfully tried to frame his own
03:01 twin brother for the crimes.
03:03 The man has been detained by police and a further investigation is underway.
03:07 Number 7.
03:08 Florida Phone Repair Shop Robber.
03:11 If you're going to rob a store, the least you can do is invest in a foolproof disguise.
03:15 This robbery suspect from Miami Gardens, Florida, clearly wasn't thinking outside the box
03:20 when he broke into a phone repair shop with nothing more than a cardboard box thrown over
03:24 his head.
03:35 The man enters the store and sets about his plan, breaking the glass display and grabbing
03:40 multiple devices.
03:42 But without any means of seeing the merchandise to steal, he accidentally takes off the box
03:47 long enough to reveal his face to the cameras.
03:49 There was hardly any mystery to unravel in this case, as police identified and arrested
03:54 the suspect soon after.
03:56 The alleged robber was later identified and arrested.
03:59 Number 6.
04:00 Larry C. Bynum.
04:02 The only thing worse than a burglar is a drunk burglar.
04:05 In 2006, a heavily intoxicated Larry C. Bynum broke into a liquor store in Fort Worth, Texas.
04:11 Initially, Bynum tries entering through the ceiling duct, but loses his balance and falls.
04:17 He eventually makes his way via a rooftop ventilation hatch and crashes several feet
04:22 to the floor.
04:28 Bynum then helps himself to some drinks and cash from the register, only to realize that
04:33 the door is locked.
04:35 Frustrated, he tries unsuccessfully to break the plexiglass, then attempts to go out the
04:39 same way he came in, but crashes down again.
04:49 In the end, Bynum resigns to his fate, lights a cigarette, and waits for the cops to arrive.
05:00 Number 5.
05:02 Group of Belgian Robbers.
05:03 In October 2018, an e-cigarette shop in Charleroi, Belgium was invaded by a group of armed robbers.
05:11 The quick-thinking store owner, who only identified herself as Didier, devised a clever planned-out
05:16 smart thieves.
05:18 Didier managed to convince them to come back at closing time when more money would be available.
05:30 He then alerted the police, who were a bit skeptical of his plan.
05:34 Surprisingly, the robbers returned early but were, once again, deterred by Didier.
05:40 This finally convinced police to hide in the back room and wait.
05:50 As expected, the thieves returned a third time to carry out their mission, only to be
05:54 arrested by undercover officers and whisked away to the police station.
05:58 Number 4.
06:00 Hollywood Restaurant Robber.
06:01 An elderly patron at a Japanese restaurant in Hollywood was attacked by a man who, then,
06:06 reportedly stole his phone and wallet.
06:09 Surveillance cameras outside the establishment captured the August 2022 incident, which left
06:14 the 64-year-old victim seriously injured.
06:20 In the footage, Timothy Ratcliffe, the owner of the restaurant, instinctively runs after
06:25 the assailant and tackles him to the ground at a busy intersection.
06:29 Despite his attempts to escape, Ratcliffe manages to hold the thief down for about 10
06:33 minutes until police arrive and place him in handcuffs.
06:36 Although the heroic restaurant owner managed to serve some karmic justice, the assailant
06:41 reportedly never made it to court, as he seemingly got lost in the jail system, whatever that
06:46 means.
06:49 Number 3.
06:50 Niseya Williams, an accomplice.
06:53 In May 2022, two thieves attempted to rob an Ulta beauty store in Exton, Pennsylvania.
06:58 Much to their surprise, the police were already waiting for them.
07:01 Cops had received prior information about a red Nissan Altima linked to a series of
07:06 thefts in other Ulta stores.
07:08 They kept a close watch on the Exton branch and, before long, observed the red Altima
07:12 pulling up in front of the building.
07:14 Two male individuals, Niseya Williams and an unidentified teenage accomplice, then entered
07:19 the store and began looting several bottles of perfume.
07:26 When the police confronted the suspects, they attempted to flee towards the exit, but were
07:30 swiftly tackled down by the officers and taken into custody.
07:39 Number 2.
07:41 Car Thief with No Driving Experience.
07:43 Imagine what the Fast and Furious movies would look like if the characters couldn't drive
07:47 a stick shift.
07:49 Perhaps, something like this surveillance footage.
07:51 In the video, a man is driving down the street when he is intercepted by a gang of car thieves.
07:57 An assailant approaches him, forces him out of the vehicle at gunpoint, and attempts to
08:01 drive off.
08:02 However, the criminal soon realizes that his thieving skills don't cover a manual transmission,
08:07 which this car just happens to have.
08:10 As a result, he becomes stranded while his accomplices speed away in their vehicles.
08:15 Not long after, police arrive on the scene and order him to exit the car with his hands
08:19 above his head.
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08:37 Number 1.
08:38 John Bell.
08:39 When this armed robber stormed a cell phone store in Houston, Texas, he probably never
08:44 expected what would happen afterwards.
08:47 Police cameras captured John Bell entering the store on the morning of April 17, 2017.
08:52 Once an employer realizes the nature of the situation, she quickly leads the others out
08:57 and locks Bell inside.
09:06 After he's done looting the place, Bell heads for the door and discovers that he's
09:10 trapped.
09:11 He shows us the most accurate depiction of the five stages of grief ever put on screen.
09:21 Bell slams and shoots at the door, then pleads with those outside to let him go, before ultimately
09:27 accepting his fate.
09:29 Police arrive shortly after and place him under arrest.
09:36 Have you ever witnessed a criminal receive a swift serving of karmic justice?
09:40 Share your experience in the comments below.
09:59 Thanks for watching.