Chasing Bank Robbers - long post!

[owsi26]

I had an experience a few years back that I would like to share. I heard on my scanner that a local bank had been robbed by three armed black men (with stockings on their heads) that got in a car (no description) and took off (direction unknown). They had pepper sprayed the tellers. I happened to be going right by the bank within a half minute or so.

I saw a 4 door vehicle coming from the direction of the bank and on the road the bank is on. There were 3 black men in the vehicle with stockings on their heads. I called 911 and asked if they had any description on the vehicle; They did not but wanted me to follow the vehicle while they sent officers in my direction.

That day, when I got into my van, I noticed that my rear view mirror was laying on the floorboard. (This becomes important.) I followed the vehicle for perhaps a minute when the 911 operator wanted the tag number. I told her that if I got that close they would probably notice me. She wanted it anyway.

I got closer and told her the tag number and sure enough one of them looked back at me. They then began to increase their speed and make many turns. They pulled into a driveway of a house and I told the operator that this must not be them; Then I saw them back up and go in the opposite direction. Now my heart rate picked up a bit!

The police still hadn't found me yet but I was hearing sirens. After a few more times of them reversing direction, trying to lose me, they pulled into another diriveway. I drove past into a nearby intersection where I would have room to turn around. I looked into my rear view mirror to see where they were heading, only to notice it wasn't there! I had to avoid traffic in the intersection and by the time I turned around, they had eluded me. I had to guess which way they went at the other intersection (at the end of the road we were on) and I guessed wrong.

The local police and FBI stormed their house that night and they weren't the bank robbers! The FBI told me that what I did was totally appropriate and was appreciated. They would not tell me why the guys ran from me. Now these guys know what I drive and probably are a BIT upset with me!
I imagine drugs were involved.

Afterwards I began to think about my situation. I had a Colt Mustang Pocketlight .380 on my left ankle and a Colt Commander .45 under my seat, with two extra magazines. I realized that all they had to do was stop their car and get out with guns blasting and I would be dead before I got to my firearms. This shook me up so bad that I now carry a Paraordiance P16-45 openly and the Mustang on my left ankle with an extra magazine and the Colt .45 under the seat with three extra mags.

I apologize for the very long post but I wanted everyone to know all the details so I can get your thoughts on how you would have handled that situation (besides not getting involved!). I now realize that carrying a gun on your ankle is useful only if you had been shot and were laying on the ground! There is no way to get to it in time if the bad guy pulls his from the waist. But carrying openly freaks people out, even though it is legal in my state and I am a private detective and usually wear my badge. This upsets only one cop in the area but when I'm seen from behind, it rings alarm bells because they can't see the badge. I then began wearing handcuffs openly on my belt in the rear. BUT then that is almost impersonating an officer. What to do??

How would you suggest I could carry a .45 concealed in the belt area. I am thin and guns print badly with my daily dress of jeans and t-shirts or dress shirts even with many methods I have tried. I don't want to wear slacks and it is too hot for a vest or sweater.

Thanks guys and gals, go rest your eyes now!

Alan

 

[Jeff White]

Hi Alan, welcome to THR. You certainly had an interesting day. A couple questions and comments. You said:

The local police and FBI stormed their house that night and they weren't the bank robbers!

What house did they storm? The one that they pulled into while you were following them, or the address that came back to the license plate you gave the TC?

The FBI told me that what I did was totally appropriate and was appreciated. They would not tell me why the guys ran from me. Now these guys know what I drive and probably are a BIT upset with me!
I imagine drugs were involved.

You said at the beginning of your post, that this incident happened a few years back. Has anything happened since then to make you believe that they know who you are?

Afterwards I began to think about my situation. I had a Colt Mustang Pocketlight .380 on my left ankle and a Colt Commander .45 under my seat, with two extra magazines. I realized that all they had to do was stop their car and get out with guns blasting and I would be dead before I got to my firearms.

Does your car have reverse? Too many people think that they have to engage in a gunfight with the bad guys. There is nothing wrong with kicking it into reverse and getting the heck out of Dodge in a situation like that. In fact it's the preferred response. There is no way you're going to be able to effectively engage the BGs from behind the wheel, no matter where you are carrying your weapon. Windshield glass is a fairly effective barrier. The best option would have been to stay in the car and rapidly leave the area.

I now realize that carrying a gun on your ankle is useful only if you had been shot and were laying on the ground!

Have you practiced drawing from your ankle holster? You can access the weapon carried there in many other positions besides the supine. In fact it's one of the best places if you're seated in a car. You can draw from an ankle holster while seated much faster then you can from the strong side waist position.

But carrying openly freaks people out, even though it is legal in my state and I am a private detective and usually wear my badge. This upsets only one cop in the area but when I'm seen from behind, it rings alarm bells because they can't see the badge. I then began wearing handcuffs openly on my belt in the rear. BUT then that is almost impersonating an officer. What to do??

How do you know that open carry freaks people out in your area? Do they call the police when they see you openly carrying? Do the police hassle you? Or is it just a perception you get by the way people look at you?

How would you suggest I could carry a .45 concealed in the belt area. I am thin and guns print badly with my daily dress of jeans and t-shirts or dress shirts even with many methods I have tried. I don't want to wear slacks and it is too hot for a vest or sweater.

Buy your pants and shirts a size too large. And this is the most important part, buy quality leather. You can't expect to do a good job of concealing any weapon with cheap leather. It is worth the cost. I think clothes that were sized properly to conceal the gun,(your pants may need to be up to two inches larger in the waist and maybe buy large T-shirts instead of mediums) and good leather will solve your problem.

Jeff

 

[Bob F.]

Hi, Alan: Welcome!

Jeff nailed it! All the way down the line. I, too, think the cops stormed the wrong house(he didn't say that, did he?). I think the best concealment is IWB, but you gotta change your dress a little; jeans are OK but a bit bigger in the waist. Maybe try RocketMan's Low Rider Kydex. Seems like a printed shirt, even t-shirt, doesn't print as badly; maybe a size larger.

Stay safe.
Bob

 

[buy guns]

i doubt they would have tried to shoot you. if they were running because of drugs then they arent going to want any more attention drawn to them. plus they dont know who you are. for all they know you could have had an ar15 on the passenger seat. then even if they did stop they still have to worry about you plowing into them.

 

[Horsesense]

I would have done everything you did until the point where you let the woman on the phone talk you into getting closer.

 

[owsi26]

Thanks for the welcome folks. Let's see if I can answer some of the questions.

The house they stormed was the one linked to the person who's tag I called in to the police.

I've seen these guys (driving around) several times and yes, they remember me! I suspect they were brought up on some drug charges. I recently bought a new van, not because of them, but the dealer put a photo of me, next to my new van, with my name, in the paper without asking me! I wasn't happy as that is not desirable in the P.I. business and they knew I was in that business! I didn't see the ad but I've seen some since and they put the person's profession under their photo!

Of course it has reverse (and also drive!) but that is good only if no one was behind me. Plus remember I didn't know if these were the bank robbers or not, so I drove past as they pulled into a driveway as it could have been their home. When they backed out, I then knew something was up but the dispatcher wanted me to continue following them and I heard sirens nearby. Also, I was stuck in the middle of an intersection trying to do a U turn. There was no where to go, but yes reverse would have been a good option if no one was directly behind me.

I don't agree that accessing an ankle holster, while driving, is quicker than waist access, at least not with me and my long legs and my vehicle's small footwell. I'm going to put a holster mount, for my .45 pancake holster, on the right side of my driver's seat so there will be no interference from a seat belt.

It freaks people out because they told me so! Several security staff employees have come up behind me, in stores, because someone saw the gun and "freaked out." Maybe it is this area...

I didn't mention it but I meant the post to be as if they WERE the bank robbers, as I thought so then, and was seeking your opinions on that being the case. They caught the real dudes a year later. I have to admit that I felt real bad that I tied up half the police force on a goose chase. But, who could have known then?

I'm thouroughly enjoying the forum and you guys. Thanks for the carrying suggestions and more.

Alan

 

[Sven]

Alan - very exciting post! Nice having you here - glad you are ok!

Personally, I'd move to another town...

 

[YammyMonkey]

As a fellow skinny guy I carry a compact-size Kimber (4"bbl, occifer's size frame/grip) in an IWB and cover it all with an untucked short sleeved button-up shirt. Been living in FL and now TX for well over a year and this has worked for me year-round. As it gets colder it gets easier to conceal as well. In this day and age an untucked button-up shirt that's clean and at least somewhat unwrinkled is not considered sloppy in most places.

Maybe you should stash a pair of binoculars close at hand should a similar need to read a plate arise. It would be obvious close-up, but if they're 20 yards or more off they'd never see you glassin them.

 

[Don Gwinn]

If there were three guys with stockings on their heads, I'm not getting why you think you were chasing the wrong guys. The tags could have been wrong any number of ways, but did you ever get an explanation why the innocent victims of your stalking were driving around with stockings on their heads?