Red dye pack ‘explodes’ over hapless Glasgow bank robber as he tries to escape

Police in Glasgow have launched a manhunt for a hapless crook after a bank robbery in the Shawlands area of the city yesterday (Friday, November 6, 2020).

The suspect raided a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland on Kilmarnock Road at around 1:30pm, and threatened staff with a bladed weapon.

Detectives said the man managed to flee the scene with a three figure sum of cash, heading along Mount Stuart Street - but not before a red dye pack embedded in the notes exploded all over him.

Police believe the thief, covered in red dye, then headed toward Queens Park.

Detectives said the man managed to flee the scene with a three figure sum of cash, heading along Mount Stuart Street - but not before a red dye pack embedded in the notes exploded all over him.

Officers described the suspect as white, Scottish, between 30 and 40 years of age and around 5’9” tall.

They said he was wearing a black jacket with a purple t-shirt underneath, black jogging bottoms and black trainers.

He was also wearing a black tammy hat and facemask at the time of the attack.

Glasgow police have opened an appeal for members of the public who may have witnessed the robbery to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Neil Guy from Govan Police Station said: “This has been a terrifying experience for the bank staff and thankfully nobody was hurt in the incident.

“The area was extremely busy at this time and I’m appealing for anyone who may have seen a man covered in red dye or who has dash cam footage from the area at the time, to get in touch via 101 quoting reference number 1888 of 6 November 2020.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.