Scenario: Trouble at the ATM...

[Digex2]

I'm interested in how folks would handle the following ATM scenario below to include: A) How you would react?; B) What kind of CCW holster would you be wearing or recommend?; C) Any weak-hand weapon handling and left-handed holsters if required; D) and any other comments with regards to such a situation.

Please assume your primary response will be with your CCW weapon.

1. Drive to Bank.
2. Exit car and walk to outdoor ATM (No pedestrian traffic).
3. Insert and operate ATM with right hand.
4. Assailant approaches unnoticed from behind before you complete transaction.
5. At this time, not sure if assailant has any weapon.
6. Assailant demands you increase the amount of the withdrawal.

... ok now what?

Please provide alternate suggestions for both Winter(heavy coat worn) and Summer(no jacket) if you have them.

 

[Third_Rail]

4. Assailant approaches unnoticed from behind before you complete transaction.

I can't participate in this scenario. My other half watches my back for ANYONE coming up behind me, and I do the same.


When's she's not around, I redouble my efforts at remaining observant.

 

[WayneConrad]

The first thing I am going to do is ruin my underwear. How did this guy sneak up on my like that? Dang, I gotta pay better attention. And why didn't I use the drive-up ATM? I'm such a moron!

I open carry. It's a odd that he hasn't tried to grab my sidearm, or just shot me -- perhaps he didn't notice it in this lighting. I'm going to try to get my carry-side away from him so that he won't notice. I'm going to take a chance and look to see what's in his hands.

No weapon at the ready? Let's see how fast I can run. With my lack of spitting-distance training, distance is my only friend.

He's got a knife or gun aimed at me? This day is getting worse and worse. Why, oh why didn't I get any close-quarters training? I think I'll get him his money, all while trying to keep my sidearm out of sight. What a scary and odd dance this is. Distance is my only friend, so I'm looking for any opportunity to make distance between this thug and me. Concealment or cover would be nice, too. Only when he's no longer got the drop on me does drawing my sidearm become an option. I'm far inside the range where the average untrained thug can easily hurt me. I want distance!

Dang. I shoulda just stayed home.

 

[hso]

Happened to a buddy of mine in Atlanta. Of course it was during the Blade show and he fished a 18" bowie out from under his jacket and the guy skeedaddled.

 

[Alex45ACP]

I wouldn't have let the guy sneak up on me. But pretending that's not an issue, I usually operate the ATM with my left hand and keep my right hand on the S&W 642 in my pocket. If this happened, I'd show it to the assailant and tell him to get lost.

 

[Sheldon J]

Don't do ATM, and I always use my left hand to swipe my CC with the right hand on the ready, while looking around me.

 

[garrettwc]

Observations; I should be using my weak hand to operate the ATM, the ATM should be in a well lit area, and I should be scanning.

#4 only happens if I screw up the above, but I will assume I had a bad day and am in condition white for purposes of the discussion.

#5 I'm focused on this guy and looking for his buddies.

#6 reply with strong verbal commands, while making distance and looking for his buddies.

 

[TMM]

toughie. i'd probably try to use some sort of verbal persuasion to make him leave, but there's a 99% chance that will fail, miserably. in that case, i''s probably do a quick jab to his stomach with my right elbow, or my cane.
if i happen to be packing an ASP baton, i'll pretend to scratch my side, then whip it out and dent the guy's head.

if i feel a knife or gun barrel against me, this guy will either be seriously injured, or dead, either with my knife, CCW, cane, etc. whatever is in the proper place and is proper for the exact situation.

~TMM

 

[NineseveN]

Give him the cash, then pull the gun?

I don't know, as my SO always watches my back, and mine hers. Assuming I was alone, I usually swipe with my left hand (or operate the atm) and have my hand on my gun...

Rarely does someone come by without notice, though, how many of them did not want to be noticed?

Tough call. Feign injury (heart attack) might work, I've praticed that scenario a few times...

 

[Tom Servo]

Scream like a little girl, soil my pants, give the BG whatever he wants, and pray he doesn't decide to kill me...oh wait, I'm not in Maryland anymore

First off is the question "how did he get this close?" I'm using a machine that dispenses (potentially) large amounts of cash, and I obviously have clearance to use it. I'm really careful about using ATMs, and actually, I usually go at night.

In off-hours, there aren't people milling about, so I don't have to turn around and tell the dolt hovering at my back to take a few steps away because he's making me edgy and his breath reeks of nachos and bad domestic beer. The other thing is, at night I'll notice anyone coming within a 20' radius (that's Erik's "Death Circle," kids!). If it comes to that, I've got enough time to jump into the car, run, or scream "Oh sweet lord a' mercy! Please don't hurt me with that WEAPON I'm pretty sure you've got!" as I open fire.

I've found that when the baggy pants types seem to be taking an unhealthy notice of me, it helps to make really good eye contact, smile, and say "HI THERE, HOWYA DOIN'?!?" They usually just mutter, walk off and wait for the next victm. Even if you're unarmed, the last thing BGs want is a fight with someone who's aware.

 

[JamisJockey]

I never use an ATM that's not in a public place. Inside a gas station is my preference, or a grocery store.

 

[HighVelocity]

The only ATMs that I will use that aren't inside a building are the Drive Ups. I pull my truck up to it at a slight angle so between the mirror and the post protecting the machine there's only about 6 inches. I also never go to the atm after dark.

IF, I were to find myself in the situation described I'd hit the cancel button and throw the card back over my shoulder. Of course you can guess what would happen when the BG looked up or down at the flying card.

 

[Joejojoba111]

"6. Assailant demands you increase the amount of the withdrawal."

-Laught out loud, step aside and let him try to get blood from a turnip. If there somehow manages to be a lot of money in there, let him take a chunk, and then when he's walking away that's the time to get him

 

[Zach S]

When I was about 19 I had someone approach me while using an ATM. I didnt see him until he was at the front left corner of my Dakota. He was wondering if he left his card in it.

No one has ever got that close to me at an ATM since.

 

[JamisJockey]

Okay, now that I said why this would never happen to me, here's what I think.

1. Drive to Bank.
2. Exit car and walk to outdoor ATM (No pedestrian traffic).
3. Insert and operate ATM with right hand.

4. Assailant approaches unnoticed from behind before you complete transaction.

Your mistake was right here. I am very nervous at an ATM and am constantly looking over my shoulder. It takes me twice as long to get it done.

5. At this time, not sure if assailant has any weapon.

Immediately turn to face the threat, and assume a defensive stance. Body tilted away from assailant with gun side away from them, off hand tight in to chest or waist, gun hand is transitioning to my wasitline, behind my hip so the assailant can't see it. In a firm voice and no uncertain terms I ask what the person wants. Not 'can I help you'....but 'what do you want?' or 'what in the bleep are you doing?' Probably moving off the line of attack, and away from the ATM. No weapon? 'Get the bleep out of here!' or something similiar. 'Go the bleep away'. Weapon? Well, start the music.
The BG wants the money, and I'm going to tempt him into making a mistake by giving him a clear line to the ATM. Possibly confuse him even more by dropping my wallet.

6. Assailant demands you increase the amount of the withdrawal.

Its too late for that. At this point you should be moving away from the ATM if possible.

 

[ACP230]

I'd deal with it the same way I deal with any scenario involving an ATM.
I don't go to them.

 

[Zundfolge]

Some banks have a system whereby if you enter your pin number in backward it trips an alarm ... gives you the money and calls the cops at the same time.

I should check if my bank does this.


But the big thing is not to let anyone get that close to you ever (not just at an ATM).

I've asked people to back off if I feel they are crowding me at an ATM.

 

[Sheldon J]

What a great idea, but what if they had showed after the transaction?

 

[crofrog]

Well this is my ATM story.

I'm just going to paste it from another forum I frequent. This was in a thread discussing the Mondanock autolock baton and a problem with it locking open I was having

Well I actually had the chance to use it the frist time yesterday. It worked as advertised eventhough it didn't get a chance to lock out before it hit him.

I was using an ATM in Baltimore and the ATM was recessed into the wall of the bank by about 2 feet. So when you are in there you loose a lot of situational awareness. Well I heard the sudden scuffle of footsteps like some one taking off runnnig and I took one huge leap back and deployed my baton into this gorrila of a man running square at my trying to tackle me.

I sorta brought it up out of the pocket and began to swing at his knee area with it closed and as it came out it hit him but I don't belive it was fully out.

After I hit him in the knee I began to bring it back around to hit him in the lower back. I missed the lower back and basically spanked him in the ass with it. At this point he was suffuciently off balance to run his ass into a wall on his own accord. After he hit the wall he got back up as I was stepping in for another swing and started running. I got my money out of the machine picked my wallet back up and left the area. Went to the nearest cop I saw and told them what transpired and they said they would go look for him.

My description was basically hobbling 6 foot+ 350lb+ black mail wearing jean shorts. I didn't rember anything else. They said they'd go look for him and I gave them my card if they needed to talk to me.

now I can't say for sure why it wasn't locked out by the time it hit him. But I'm pretty sure it just didn't have enough time to get all the way out before impacting some where around the knee area, I don't think I actually got him in the knee. but it did lock out in the process of hitting him the second time in basically the ass.

So the mondanock is going to stick with me, because even if I was carring a pistol I'm just not sure how much good it would have done, and I'm glad I had indexed my baton while standing at the ATM and I had also thought through what I would do. Such as dropping the wallet so when it happened it went mostly how I planned but happened a lot quicker than I imagined it could.

Mind you I didn't see this comming I didn't see any one suspcusios as I walked up to the ATM, and I never saw him comming until the point I hit him.

Chris

 

[20cows]

What's an ATM?

 

[Atticus]

I don't understand the "sneak up" part. People often stand in line to use walk-up ATM's. That's why I rarely use them.

 

[Ryder]

Feign injury (heart attack) might work,

He might decide to put you out of your misery

I'd stall until there was an explicit threat. Not that anyone is going to believe this happened, but it makes me feel better. Still behind me or more likely off to the side? I carry crossdraw (10 o'clock position) under an open coat or shirt. No need to even turn and face the threat. No need to clear leather by more than a few inches.

Seems they'd put silent alarm buttons on these things? Sure would be useful for summoning the cops after something like this.

 

[sp40cal]

Good question, always be alert to what around you!!!! keep your eyes open and stand sideways to the ATM. If the area does not look safe or you feel not right move on to the next one, at night I always hit the ATM with the hi beams and wife keeps her eye open, she can handle the xd no problems there. If it is a drive up ATM I hit the hi beams as I turn into the parking lot and check to see what if any cars or BG might be around. If dark or full of goblins move on. I also look for a very well lit ATM and the xd is in my hand while I do my transaction with the car on drive, always alert to the traffic in front and behind the car.

Avoid area if not safe at all cost.


sp40cal.

 

[Havegunjoe]

Good situation to ponder.

One thing I do if I have to use an ATM while out of the car is I take my gun out of my holster first and depending on my atire keep it in my hand, or pocket with my hand on it. I do the transaction left handed. If my situational awareness training were to break down all together for some reasnon and someone were to sneak up on me, drawing while turning would be one smooth motion. He'd have my gun in his gut before he knew what happened.

 

[LightningJoe]

I've been in a number of high-stress confrontations, but I've never pulled my gun on anybody, even when they've jumped me. I've always handled it without a weapon, either because I didn't have one or because they didn't. I always carry a gun nowadays, unless I'm outside the US or if I arrived at my domestic destination by plane. If I were armed and the guy at the ATM looked freaky but not totally pumped or high out of his mind, I'd draw my gun and point it right at him. If he showed me a weapon, I'd empty my magazine. If he showed no weapon, but looked like the kind of nut who'd wrestle me for mine, I'd probably go into human tornado mode.

On the other hand, if he were armed and I weren't (as I wouldn't be if I were traveling by plane or in another country), then history shows I'd give him my money; I've done it before. Man, I sure love 3rd world countries.