Man robs bank to buy Christmas tree

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December 28, 2015 5:45 AM

Brett Gillispie-Comstock, 28, faces federal and state charges after he robbed a credit union in Bend to buy a Christmas tree.

Christmas tree

A 28-year-old man, Brett Gillispie-Comstock faces federal and state charges after he robbed a credit union in Bend. He used the proceeds to go on a shopping spree that included buying a Christmas tree.

The Oregonian reports said that he went into a Selco Community Credit Union twice before he walked to a teller and told her he was ready to open an account and handed her a note demanding $5,000. When he was done, he tried to sound as cheerful as possible, telling her "I hope you have a great holiday."

He left with $1,373 in an envelope. Bend police officers caught Gillispie-Comstock nearby 40 minutes after the robbery and arrested him.

Read: Shoppers flee after 'machete fight' occur in shopping centre[VIDEO]

Gillespie-Comstock told investigators that he and his mother had lost $400 gambling, so they needed money for rent, Christmas presents and a Christmas tree.

The Oregonian reports that he used some of the money to buy a Christmas tree which he used to hide his face when the police tried to confront him after finding him through the security surveillance camera.

According to the complaint, he managed to buy some food at Jimmy John’s, went to a marijuana dispensary, bought a hoodie and also purchased a can of spray paint at a NAPA Auto Parts store. He also scored some dog treats at a local pet store.

Gillispie-Comstock has been charged with third-degree robbery and first-degree theft and was booked into the Deschutes County Jail.

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