Patrick Bishop's Failed Underwear Getaway

UPDATE, November 26, 2008: 'Underwear bandit' gets 7 years in prison

A 28-year-old Hartford man, known locally as the underwear bandit for shedding most of his clothes and riding away on a bicycle with hundreds of dollars stuffed in his briefs after robbing a Hartford convenience store in July, was sentenced Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court to seven years in prison and five years of extended supervision.

Washington County Circuit Judge David Resheske sentenced Patrick J. Bishop after he pleaded guilty in September to a charge of robbery with threat of force. He had entered the store on July 8 with a toy gun, which he pulled out of his coveralls when he demanded cash, a criminal complaint said.

Bishop told Resheske at a hearing Wednesday that he was sorry for the act. At an earlier hearing, he said he committed the crime to get cash to buy cocaine, District Attorney Todd Martens said.

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Last week in Appleton, home invader Aaron Maurice was wearing a man's hat, a woman's jacket, and barbecue sauce.

Now, there's another case of odd attire worn by a crook in Wisconsin -- underwear, just underwear (reportedly Fruit of the Loom briefs).

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A 37-year-old Hartford man who police say robbed a gas station Tuesday and then tried to get away dressed only in his underwear -- with the stolen loot and a pack of cigarettes stuffed inside -- is expected to be charged today with armed robbery, Washington County District Attorney Todd Martens said.

According to Hartford police, the man, wearing a pair of blue coveralls, robbed the West Auto Mart at 529 W. Sumner St. just before 10 a.m. Tuesday after he purchased a pack of cigarettes. He waited until the cashier opened the cash drawer then displayed a handgun and took cash from the register.

Shortly after police arrived, Hartford Fire Chief Paul Stephan reported he saw a man exit a nearby bike path riding a bicycle and wearing only a pair of underwear.

When police made contact with the man, they noticed a wad of $412 concealed in his underwear, along with his empty wallet and an unopened pack of cigarettes, the police statement said. The amount of money was the same as that stolen from the gas station.

...The man told police he had been robbed of his clothing, but that the robber did not want the money or the cigarettes. He described the man as looking a lot like him and wearing the same clothes as him.

Making a getaway wearing only underwear was not smart.

This is funny: "When police made contact with the man, they noticed a wad of $412 concealed in his underwear, along with his empty wallet and an unopened pack of cigarettes."

Yeah, you'd think that would be quite easy to notice. You can stuff only so much in underwear before it becomes noticeable.

What an unbelievably lame explanation by Bishop!

He said his clothing was stolen by a guy that looked like him and was wearing the same clothes. Right. This fantasy robber was wearing the same clothes, yet he decided to steal more of the same while taking a pass on money and cigarettes.

When police searched the bike path, they found coveralls, a uniform from where the man worked, and a fake gun.

So the Bishop was employed. Maybe he didn't find his job fulfilling.
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Hartford Police Department press release