Crime Magazine has a great excerpt from the upcoming book Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber, recounting the time when infamous bank robber Leslie Ibsen Rogge knocked off two spots in a single day, making use of police scanners and smoke bombs in the process.

When Rogge and his partner robbed one particular bank, they used the police scanner to monitor the status of the bank alarm system and to stay keyed in on police activity. Meanwhile, Rogge would calmly walk up and make his demands. As they escaped, a timed smoke bomb went off (which they planted the night before), which provided a perfect distraction for them to get away.


Here's how they made the timed smoke bombs which would aid in their escape after the robbery:


During his two decade bank robbery spree, Leslie Ibsen Rogge committed over 30 heists without hurting a single person (hence the Gentleman moniker). He was only caught after helping a kid in Guatemala—where he was hiding—hook up a computer to the internet. The kid would go on to see his image on the internet and turn him in. Ouch. [Crime Magazine]