Man's attempt at identity theft didn't go terribly well

A man is in hot water for allegedly dressing up in an unusual costume in an attempt to impersonate another man and steal his debit card. According to court documents, Joshua K. Pinney, 30, walked into the Bank of America branch in Des Moines, Wash. on June 26 dressed in the outfit pictured below. The bank’s branch manager immediately determined the costume was fake and called police. Prosecutors say Pinney presented the identification of an Oregon man to the bank manager and asked for a new debit card.

The actual man on the ID was a client at the bank whose car had recently been stolen and his identification was missing. The victim had flagged his account to prevent anyone from using it.  Pinney told the branch manager that he was on a business trip in Washington and needed a new debit card, according to the police report. He also asked the branch manager if he could sit down and requested a glass of water, claiming he was in pain from a recent accident. Police arrived at the bank 12 minutes later and immediately identified Pinney by his obviously fake bandages and facial hair.



When confronted by police, Pinney remained serious and said he was at the bank to replace his debit card, documents said. The police officer looked at the Oregon ID that Pinney had given the bank manager and asked the man if he was seriously trying to pass as the man in the picture. Court documents report Pinney hung his head and said “I know.” The officer arrested Pinney and found his own ID card as well as the identity theft victim’s Social Security card in his wallet. Pinney admitted to police that his bandages were not real and that he had not been in an accident.

He said the entire scheme was his girlfriend’s idea and that she had been waiting outside for him when he entered the bank. Pinney claimed he met his girlfriend while on work release from prison last year and told police she was a “computer whiz” and could open bank accounts online. Pinney also said he obtained the fake ID and Social Security card from his brother’s friend, who had stolen them from a car in Tacoma, according to police. Pinney has been charged with identity theft in the second degree. He was scheduled to make a court appearance on Thursday but failed to appear.