Get-away car leads police straight to robbery suspect

The get-away car used in Thursday's bank robbery did everything but help the suspect get away.

As it turns out, before Randy Copenhaver, 41, at large, robbed the Community Savings Bank, 3414 Mount Vernon Rd. SE, he stopped just blocks away at Vernon Heights Auto Sales, 4600 Mount Vernon Rd. SE to test drive a vehicle.

"Usually somebody goes with them, but we were very busy yesterday and let him go,” said Steve Ladman from Vernon Heights Auto Sales.

Investigators say Copenhaver drove off in a 1999 red Tahoe, and then he drove it to the bank. After robbing the bank, he returned the truck to the dealer.

“He only put three miles on it,” said Ladman.

Copenhaver possibly thought he had the perfect crime because the get-away car wasn't his, and it would be hard to track since he took off the magnetic plates attached to the car. But, that plan wasn't going to work from the get-go.

Ladman said in order to test drive a car on his lot, you have to give a deposit and hand over your license.

"Take a copy of their driver's license and the phone number if they have it, and they take off for about ten minutes and test drive,” said Ladman.

After Copenhaver returned the car, a police officer noticed it in the dealer's parking lot. Investigators scoured the truck and took the copy of his license. Officials arrested him Friday afternoon and charged him with robbery in the second degree. Copenhaver turns 42 on Saturday.

Copenhaver pleaded guilty to two minor theft charges in 2004 and 2005.

Justin Foss, KCRG-TV