Wig Helps NJ Woman Foil Bankrobber Trying to Take Her Hostage

It was a hair's breadth escape by a woman from a bank robbery suspect in northern New Jersey last week.

An FBI report filed Monday in the criminal complaint against Luis Aparicio claims he tried to rob a Chase Bank branch in Rutherford last Thursday and take a woman hostage, only to be foiled by her wig.

The report said Aparicio entered the bank at about 2 p.m. and held what looked like a gun to the neck of a customer service representative.

"I need the money. Don't try anything stupid, I know how you operate, just give me all the money," Aparicio said, according to the report.

As the customer service representative and a manager began to give him about $47,000 from a vault, Aparicio heard sirens, grabbed the woman and said, "You're coming with me," according to the report.

Police had arrived by the time Aparicio led her out of the bank, the report said. As he tried to grab her by the hair, she wriggled out of the wig and ran away. Aparicio was then shot and injured by police.

Aparicio, of North Bergen, appeared in federal court in Newark on Monday. He is jailed pending a bail hearing.

The federal public defender representing Aparicio didn't immediately return a phone message Monday.