Heist

Even as a kid Luke Elliott Sommer showed a talent for leadership. And by the time he finished U.S. Army Ranger School his mind had become a precision weapon capable of planning strategic attacks on buildings in enemy territory. Then he came home.

By James Ross Gardner

Surveillance footage from the robbery.

Because he now wore a tab on his uniform signifying completion of Ranger School, Specialist Luke Elliott Sommer enjoyed new respect at Fort Lewis, especially among younger Rangers who’d yet to ship out to Iraq. One Ranger showed particular devotion. Nineteen-year-old Alex Blum, son of a wealthy Denver real estate broker, enraptured by his grandfather’s stories of World War II, had had his heart set on military service since he was five years old. He was determined to be a Ranger, even after his father tried to dissuade him with a yearlong, all-expense-paid trip to Europe. At Fort Lewis he was the rich kid, darting around in a silver 2001 Audi A4.

Sommer’s mind was being fed the secrets of modern warfare—devising plans of attack, which, in the era of urban conflicts, means overtaking buildings.

One day Sommer accompanied Alex Blum and his father, Norm, for a walk along a traffic-filled avenue near base. Suddenly, Sommer directed Blum to do push-ups in the street. Without hesitation Blum strode into the middle of the boulevard, dropped to the ground, and began his push-ups. Sommer followed him into the street and put out his palm like a traffic cop, stopping a line of cars waiting for Blum to finish his calisthenics.

Sommer pushed his authority further with a game he called Suicide Check. He would hand Blum and other Rangers a gun and tell them to hold the muzzle to their temple and pull the trigger. Blum did so without reservation, certain that Sommer would never ask him to pull the trigger if the gun was loaded.

Sommer bagged a $20,000 reenlistment bonus in May 2006. A lot of soldiers throw that windfall at a new car. Sommer bought an arsenal: a shotgun, four rifles, five handguns, and five grenades.

Bored while waiting to be deployed, Sommer and his buddies in Ranger barracks building 3475, including Blum and Chad Palmer, a 21-year-old Ranger from Chesapeake, Virginia, spun fantasies late into the night about applying their training to American civilian settings. Bank heists, casino jobs—the stuff of Jason Statham flicks. Sommer kept pushing these ideas further and further, until the next thing anyone knew, he and a few other Rangers were pulling reconnaissance on the nearby Chips Casino, determining its security weaknesses.

Sommer began sharing the fantasy with friends back in Canada, 20-year-old Tigra Robertson, a member of the Canadian military reserves, and 18-year-old Nathan Dunmall, a civilian. Sommer spelled out the plan to Robertson via text message. In a July 30, 2006, exchange:

Sommer: were going to hit this casino, and we have a solid plan
Sommer: we have a driver two rangers and you two
Sommer: so I hope your ready to fucking rock and roll
Robertson: fuck yeah
Sommer: chance it might go north hollywood so I really hope your in the mood


NEXT: A dress rehearsal.

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Published: September 2009