A Surprising Number of Bank Robbers Use Mass Transit for Their 'Getaway'

The use of public transportation as a getaway mode for criminals is pretty baffling. First there are the potentially long waits. Then there are the frequent stops and, on a bus, the traffic. And let's not forget the fellow passengers (aka eye-witnesses) with little to do but wonder why the person beside them is sweating so much and holding a duffel bag with wads of cash stuck in the zipper. Very often there are cameras on board, and at the very least there are drivers and conductors in direct contact with local authorities.

So even factoring in a getaway driver's cut of the loot, transit seems like a poor option for fleeing the scene of a robbery. And yet it happens. Quite regularly. Get enough Google Alerts about transit and you'll discover that a surprising number of bank thieves make their run on the bus or the train.