Bank robberies have long been the go-to heist for criminals looking for one big score. High security measures make it hard to pull off, but a successful robbery could set you for life.
But one bank robber in Utah had a surprising motive for his actions—not to get rich, but to get much-needed medical help.
In June, a 64-year-old man named Glenn Douglas Mower robbed a Key Bank location in Roy, Utah, about 32 miles north of Salt Lake City, according to the Standard-Examiner.
Police say that Mower approached the teller and demanded they put their cash in a white bag. Police were dispatched while the robbery was in progress.
Mower got away with the cash in hand, and retreated to his nearby motel room at the Royal Inn. Police searched the area, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at the motel and showed employees a photo of their suspect. Mower was identified.
With the cops closing in, Mower came out of the room and surrendered voluntarily. The officers found the cash hidden in the nightstand.
So what would compel this senior man to suddenly rob a bank? The police soon discovered his motive: he couldn’t afford his medication.
Mower was suffering from unspecified health issues, and reportedly told police he was having a “rough time and did not believe he was going to live much longer,” and “did not have the money to obtain the medications he needed.”
Healthcare can be unfortunately expensive, and treatments can be unaffordable to some people, driving them to desperate measures for money. With nothing to lose, it seems Mower took his chances on the bank robbery.
Regardless of motive, robbery is still a second-degree felony. Mower was charged on one count of robbery and is currently being held on a $10,000 bond in the Weber County Jail.
