A 35-year-old Utah man robbed a Salt Lake City bank on Halloween and then ordered an Uber rideshare home from the scene of the heist, according to federal prosecutors.
David Harris was indicted this week by a grand jury on two counts of bank robbery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah announced. Harris is also charged with robbing a second bank a few days after the first incident.
Prosecutors said Harris walked in to the Brighton Bank in South Salt Lake City on Oct. 31 and passed the teller a note that read: "Money in till now! Do not alert anyone! No one needs to be hurt right? Wait until I leave to contact authorities."
The teller handed him they money and placed a dye pack in the bag. A dye pack is commonly used to mark a person committing a crime by emitting a stream of red ink and tear gas when opened, according to the American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners.
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As Harris fled the bank, the dye pack exploded on him before he got in a blue Chrysler 200 that investigators later learned was an Uber rideshare.
The Uber driver told authorities that he recalled seeing red dye on Harris’ hands and jacket. He also said Harris had smoke “billowing out of his jacket pocket."
On Nov. 2, police learned Harris was in a nearby hotel and tried to arrest him before he fled in a stolen Lexus SUV.
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Later that same day, Harris walked into another bank demanding money from the teller using a note. He left with the money and was later spotted by police in the stolen Lexus. Police arrested Harris after a brief chase that ended when the suspect crashed into a barrier and tried to run, prosecutors said.
