The twists and turns of the Cowboy Bob case fooled even the most experienced FBI agents.
Texas MonthlySecurity footage showing Cowboy Bob manoeuvre out of one of his heists .
Theperfect crime(probably ) does n’t exist , but if it did , Cowboy Bob’sstringof robberies would probably be it — a string of unflawed crimes , a mysterious culprit , and a twist ending that shocked even the most experient agents from the FBI .
For over a twelvemonth , between 1991 and 1992 , amysterious , 10 - gallon - hat - wearing robber was range the streets , pull off big - scale bank robberies with near - flawless execution .
Texas MonthlySecurity footage showing Cowboy Bob heading out of one of his heists.
According to tellers testimonial , Cowboy Bob , so named because of his lid , was always calm , always unarmed , always civilised , and always mute . He was thorough in his armed robbery , steering clear of the security system cameras , and check each pecker for mug or dye pack , small dye - fill devices that , when set off by radio , would stain the John Cash and the thief red .
When he was finish , Cowboy Bob would casually exit the bank , place a new , steal licence shell on the back of his 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix , and drive off into the sundown .
Due to the hat , the tellers never find out his case . The tight verbal description that police force , and later the FBI , were able to come up with was that he was around 5 - foot-10 , with a slight beer - belly , and graying hair and a byssus . Due to the stolen licence plate , police were ineffective to equate the cable car to anyone match the verbal description . It seemed , to the policeman on the vitrine , that Cowboy Bob was the perfect criminal .
YouTubeA 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix, the same type of car Cowboy Bob drove.
“ He was piddle me start to pull my pilus out , ” former agent Steve Powell toldTexas Monthly . “ How could this slight , little dried - up cowboy be whipping us this unfit , clock time after clip ? ”
Without any other principal , the police continue to trace permit plate figure , hop that one of them would turn up with a existent name . Then , finally , one did .
YouTubeA 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix , the same type of automobile Cowboy Bob push .
Texas MonthlyPeggy Jo Tallas
Whether through cockiness or negligence , upon leaving one of his robberies , Cowboy Bob forgot to replace his real license plate with a fake . The act was write down by one of the bank ’s customer , who reported it to constabulary .
The licence plate brought police to a Dallas car dealer named Pete Tallas . Thinking they finally had their man , they arrested Tallas , only to regain out that he had never owned the car . Instead , he articulate , he had bought it for his babe , Peggy Jo Tallas , as a natural endowment .
Now , FBI agents believed , things were finally fare together .
Texas MonthlyPeggy Jo, during her final face-off with FBI agents in 2004.
With the assistance of Pete , they pass over down Peggy Jo Tallas , paying a sojourn to her habitation , which they expect her to portion out with her boyfriend . Peggy Jo , they decided , must be the new , wild lady friend of Cowboy Bob , a kind of modern - dayBonnie and Clyde . Though Cowboy Bob always surcharge the banks alone , the girlfriend had to be in on it , either helping pimp stolen license plates or conceal the money .
However , upon visiting Peggy Jo , they realized how amiss they were .
Where they expected to notice a wild young woman , there was a middle - ripened , motherly figure , who know in a mild two - bedroom place with her ailing mother . Though they roll in the hay there had to have been some error , they call into question her anyway .
They asked her if she had a boyfriend or a husband , or if she ’d pick up about the recent string of bank robbery . Her result to all of the questions was no , of class she had n’t . She was simply a halfway - senior woman , who spent all of her barren time caring for her female parent .
Her story was backed up by family member , all of whom insist that she had no fellow , and no time for a boyfriend — and most certainly not one who would be commix up in something so deplorable as robbing banks . Even when police force searched the home , finding man ’s clothing and a fake byssus in the closet , Peggy Jo importune she did not have a boyfriend .
“ There is n’t any gentleman’s gentleman , ” she told Officer Powell . “ I promise you that . ”
That was when Powell notice something he had n’t before .
There , cling to Peggy Jo ’s upper lip , was a slight line of glue . In her hair were flecks of gray dyestuff .
of a sudden it all came barge in down . Peggy Jo had been telling the truth ; her young man was n’t Cowboy Bob — she was .
Texas MonthlyPeggy Jo Tallas
It begin when her mother become grim . Most people the police force interview claim that that had been her break pointedness . Prior to her mother ’s malady , Peggy Jo had been a carefree , bouncy young char , appear to make a splash in the world . Unfortunately , when she became a caregiver , she lose her sparkle .
She commence to overwhelm under medical bills , looking for a way to balance her current billet with the sprightliness she had dreamed of . So , she change by reversal to bank robbing , thinking it was the easiest way to make a few extra bucks . She terminate up enjoying the thrill so much that she remain to surcharge depository financial institution even after she had enough cash — which terminate up being her downfall .
Peggy Jo ended up being tried and convict of her crimes as Cowboy Bob and serving three years in prison . By the time she arrest out , she was almost in her 60 ’s . Her female parent go by by , and she took a job at a marina , where she became a local favourite . parent of picayune kids be intimate the extra attention she gave them , and the older local always allege how quick she was to jump at the luck to lend them a hand .
Before long , she was famous in her little town , her kindness outweigh her sordid history .
However , in 2004 , Peggy Jo ’s uneasy , carefree spirit returned . She figured she ’d pull off one last heist for honest-to-goodness times saki , and apply the money to move to the beach of Mexico , where she ’d always stargaze of living .
But , in her old age , her wits had begin to fail her . Rather than go through an elaborate program , and don a camouflage as she ’d done in the past , on this armed robbery she was simply herself , wearing sunglass and a wide - brimmed sunhat . She was also careless — her thoroughness was lost on her , and rather than check the bills she simply grab them , never notice the dyestuff pack shoved between them .
It exploded as she took the bills , foiling her elaborate plan . She fly the scene , running to the RV she had park in the lot . Police were alerted , and after a curt chase , cornered her in a residential region .
As cops ring the RV , Peggy Jo came out , armed , for the first prison term in her life , with a hit man .
Police were hesitating to pip , have a go at it she had never resorted to violence in the past . Peggy Jo , however , was having none of their hesitancy and dared them to shoot her .
Texas MonthlyPeggy Jo , during her final face - off with FBI agent in 2004 .
“ You mean to say me if I come out of here with a gun and point it at y’ all , you ’re not going to dash me ? ” she yelled .
Four officer then fired at once .
Upon further review , the officer realized that the triggerman in her hand had been a phoney , a miniature pistol she carry with her to impregnate fearfulness . However , in her RV , they institute a very real , very load .357 Magnum .
They removed Peggy Jo from the locality , along with her RV full of steal immediate payment , all at once cease the years - tenacious crime spree of Cowboy Bob . Though her gaining control was a profits for the FBI , her death was n’t without sadness . After all , her spree had kept the FBI on their toes and becharm their tending for yr , giving Steve Powell some of the best experience he ’d ever get .
In fact , upon see about her death , he expressed remorse , respond to the death of his old scourge with an almost pensive strain .
“ Say it ai n’t so , ” he said .
savour this article on Peggy Jo Tallas ? Next , register about thegruesome decease of the real Bonnie and Clyde . Then , match out the crime of some ofhistory ’s most forbidding adult female .
