Login / RegisterTravis Baumgartner arrested at border crossing in connection with armoured-car attack
An Edmonton fugitive wanted for a murderous armoured-car robbery has been arrested at a U.S. border crossing.
Travis Baumgartner, 21, was taken into custody by U.S. border-security staff in Lynden, Washington.
He was carrying over $330,000 in Canadian cash when he was arrested just south of Abbotsford.
He's the prime suspect in the killing of three G4S Security armoured-car company employees at the University of Alberta's Hub Mall. The attack occurred shortly after midnight on June 15.
A fourth worker was seriously wounded. Baumgartner worked for the company.
Shortly after the killing spree, Edmonton Police alerted the public that Baumgartner was the owner of a dark blue Ford F-150 pick-up truck with an Alberta licence plate number ZRE 724.
He was driving this vehicle when he approached the border.
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1. He tries to escape in his own vehicle, the description of which was broadcast far and wide, within hours of the crime.
2. He switches license plates with his mother's vehicle - an act which is certain to attract police attention if he is stopped for something as simple as speeding (police always compare plate number to vehicle description).
3. He hits the border within 24 hours of the crime, when the "armed and dangerous" alert is still fresh in the minds of all border security agents.
4. Apparently, he has no knowledge of plate-scanning technology.
5. He chooses a quiet border crossing like Aldergrove, rather than a busy one where he might, possibly, slip through in the crowd.
6. He's carrying more than $300k in cash ... not hidden, but in a backpack.
7. He has NO PASSPORT!!
This is a creep who claimed that he was working security as a temporary job, until he could get into policing. Nope, dumbass. You're not smart enough to work a fast food drive-thru.
But the worst sin of all - far worse than bungling his ridiculous "escape plan" - was shooting his co-workers. It's an inside job, for gawd's sake. Disarm them, disable them with zap straps, take the money and run. He wouldn't have gotten away anyway, but three people would be alive today if he had used whatever minor brainpower he has.