Retired State Trooper Shot Dead After Robbing Toll Plaza and Killing 2

This story is breaking, and little has been released. It has been reported that retired Pennsylvania state trooper Clarence Briggs brandished a handgun and robbed 2 toll collectors in Fort Littleton, PA. Authorities say Briggs shot and killed Danny Crouse and security guard Ronald Heist, then fled in a toll collection vehicle.

State Troopers arriving at the scene found Briggs loading the loot into his car, and in the ensuing gunfight, Briggs was shot dead. Robberies with guns involved are common these days, but it is a rarity for the robber to be an honorably discharged cop like Briggs. Briggs retired in January 2012 after 26 years with an honorable discharge, and it is unknown if he has had any violations since his retirement. This story is convoluted, and my thoughts are with the families left to pick up the pieces after losing 2 men to such a senseless crime.
www.nbcphiladelphia.com...

I'm off to work now, and would appreciate any updates posted as this story develops.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo


That does not seem to be what a savvy, retired cop would do if even he was hard pressed for cash. --He was after bags of quarters and change!?

Perhaps suicide by cop is at the bottom of this deal.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo


That does not seem to be what a savvy, retired cop would do if even he was hard pressed for cash. --He was after bags of quarters and change!?

Perhaps suicide by cop is at the bottom of this deal.

This story is strange for just that reason. How much cash is on hand? Like I said, we need more info to understand why this happened.

Sounds like he might have lost it, how old was he?

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Hmmmm. Sounds to me like there was another type of motive behind these murders. Not very bright at all.... I'm sure more details will come of this with more of a storyline...

Very sad that 2 souls were lost due to his nonsense

a reply to: ReadLeader

3 if you include him too

All over what amounts to loose change, very sad indeed

I often wonder if money wasn't an issue in this world would people just find other reasons to steal what is not theirs and potentially kill over it ?

Strange story though, is cop pension not good enough any more to bring him to do this ? Was he discharged honourably legitimately or did he have some psychological issues and was basically offered to leave the force willingly with an honourable discharge or put up a fight to stay and get kicked out, you know kind of like sweeping it under the carpet so nobody is disgraced ?

a reply to: Discotech

Agreed Disco! The pension is usually very nice. My first thought was some kind of triangle or relationship gone bad....behind most crimes like this, lye some type of emotion, leading up.... sadly,

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Geez, horrible. More details would be nice, so that I can reinforce that no matter how much I know about it... It still won't make any sense. Too bad he was killed too. I would have preferred he rot in prison, as a known cop. All murders are disgusting. So many lives affected. It's disgusting that someone is evil enough to take life away from another person. He got away way too easy.

Here is the most current info on this senseless incident:
www.nbcphiladelphia.com...

Just got back from work, and am getting caught up on threads. Thanks to all of you for your input. I can only speculate as to Briggs' motives, but in the car I wondered if where he targeted was a collection point for the weekend's total monies. If that's the case, there could be thousands on site until they are deposited on Monday.

The conspiracy theorist in me suspects he was a loose end and the mugging is just for the papers.

originally posted by: Aliensun
Perhaps suicide by cop is at the bottom of this deal.

Maybe he really hated paying tolls.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo
The retired state trooper was with Troop T during his time with the state police. Troop T is responsible for patrol of the 360 mile long PA Turnpike.
This may have given him information about the schedule of the contractor that transports collected tolls from the booths to another location. He is also said to have been working for the Turnpike Commission after his retirement from the State Police 4 years ago.
He arrived before the truck did and attempted to tie up the two workers present at the tollbooth. It seems obvious that he planned this to some degree.
What he did not count on was that the two workers would give him a struggle, or that the new shift was arriving and that woman was aware of the robbery attempt and called Turnpike security in Highspire, PA. They alerted the PA State Police, and there were troopers rolling when the shooting occurred.
The nearest police barracks is only a couple of miles down the road on Route 522. They arrived while he was offloading the money from the truck and engaged him. The troopers were aware of the two murders beforehand because the bodies were visible to the people in Highspire via security cameras at the booth.
I was born and raised in Fulton County, PA and attended the elementary school that was located 1/4 mile away from the Turnpike exit. I had a cousin that previously worked that toll booth and another cousin that is based with Troop T at the nearest (speaking of Troop T assets) location to the scene in Everett, PA.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo
The retired state trooper was with Troop T during his time with the state police. Troop T is responsible for patrol of the 360 mile long PA Turnpike.
This may have given him information about the schedule of the contractor that transports collected tolls from the booths to another location. He is also said to have been working for the Turnpike Commission after his retirement from the State Police 4 years ago.
He arrived before the truck did and attempted to tie up the two workers present at the tollbooth. It seems obvious that he planned this to some degree.
What he did not count on was that the two workers would give him a struggle, or that the new shift was arriving and that woman was aware of the robbery attempt and called Turnpike security in Highspire, PA. They alerted the PA State Police, and there were troopers rolling when the shooting occurred.
The nearest police barracks is only a couple of miles down the road on Route 522. They arrived while he was offloading the money from the truck and engaged him. The troopers were aware of the two murders beforehand because the bodies were visible to the people in Highspire via security cameras at the booth.
I was born and raised in Fulton County, PA and attended the elementary school that was located 1/4 mile away from the Turnpike exit. I had a cousin that previously worked that toll booth and another cousin that is based with Troop T at the nearest (speaking of Troop T assets) location to the scene in Everett, PA.

Thank you for the update. Like I said in the OP, it was a breaking story at that time with little information being released. I couldn't understand how a man who served the public honorably for years so callously shot 2 men dead in a robbery, and wondered if any of the responding Troopers knew/worked with Briggs and engaged him.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I have not talked to my cousin about it. I hesitate to ask him about his work. Sometimes he volunteers information, but it usually isn't fresh information.
I am glad that the troopers were able to neutralize him quickly. Going up against a criminal that has the same training that you do and knows how handle a gun is a task that they don't usually encounter.
If I hear anything new, I will come back to post it.