Evidently, superheroes aren’t only experiencing popularity on both the big and small screens these days. They’re also being used as disguises for crimes, ironically. Last month, a man wearing a Spider-Man mask robbed a bank in Georgia, and a month later, two men in Cocoa, Florida turned to Deadpool to pull off a heist that not even Wade Wilson would clap for.
On January 7, the men smashed the glass door of a gas station in an attempt to steal the ATM inside. They did this while wearing face-covering hoodies modeled after the Merc with a Mouth, but they broke the first rule of embodying a superhero: never reveal your secret identity. According to The New York Post, one of the men unzipped his Deadpool hoodie while in front of a security camera, thus showing part of his face. Although they were able to get the ATM in the back of their truck, these two screwed up again when they were unable to get the vehicle out of the parking lot. This forced them to abandon it, which also meant leaving the ATM behind. They were later picked up by a white Chevy Tahoe and are still at large.
To be fair, if you’re going to commit a crime dressed like a superhero, Deadpool is one of your more appropriate choices. Often considered more of an anti-hero in the Marvel universe, Deadpool’s shenanigans often result in property damage and injuries. He’s even stolen money countless times, though he’d never hold an innocent person at gunpoint for the money in their purse or wallet. Honestly, if he was desperate enough, Deadpool would probably steal an ATM on his own, only he would make off with it successfully and blow half the score on chimichangas.
Although this is the first superhero-related crime of 2016, it’s only the latest time criminals have turned to these costumed characters to keep their faces covered. 2014 saw another man dressed like Spider-Man rob a Big Apple store in Maine, while a guy in a Batman mask stole quarters from a laundry room in Indiana. On another side of the geek world, a man in a Darth Vader mask held up a bank in North Carolina last April.
Superhero fans can at least take comfort that Deadpool won’t be a force for evil in his movie next month. After going to Weapon X to cure his terminal cancer, he’ll come out of the experiment with a healing factor…and, consequently, an ugly visage. It’s when the love of his life, Vanessa, is kidnapped by Ajax that Wade decides to become a "fucking superhero," a.k.a. Deadpool, to save her. Of course, there’s always the possibility he could steal some cash from other criminals to finance his mission, but hey, at least it’s a good cause.
If you live in the Cocoa, Florida area and have any information regarding these criminals, make sure to contact your local authorities. As for all things Deadpool, moviegoers can look forward to his solo adventure hitting theaters on February 12.
