Today at the Bank

[FireArmFan]

First off I just want to say that this isn't a very exciting story or anything, but i thought i'd post it anyways for lack of anything better to do.

I thought about putting this in the strategies and tactics section but kinda chose here instead. it can be moved or deleted or whatever.

so i was at the bank today cashing my check and i notice a man come in and he seemed kind of skittish to me but i didnt really think much of it, but then i notice he is scoping out all the cameras. he then proceeds to scope out the vault for about 30 seconds. after that he walked across the lobby to take a look at the door that the tellers use to get behind the counter. I also noticed he didn't have any checks or deposit slips or anything in his hands. I found his actions very strange. I was kind of thinking that he was thinking about robbing the bank. I obviously didn't have any evidence to this and i didnt really get too concerned with it. now for the anti-climactic ending i finished with my transaction and left and nothing happened.

I haven't watched the news or anything but i havent heard about a bank robbery or anything. i'm sure nothing happened but i mainly just noticed that my awareness to my surroundings are sharper than i thought they were. just making small observations to the people around me.

 

[LSCurrier]

You may be right that he was up to no good and scoping the place for a future robbery.

It doesn't sound like he is too smart about his methods and probably will be a 'guest' of the state very soon - either that or dead.

Luke

 

[Autolycus]

Or he cased it and his friends do the robbery. Either way who cares? It could be one of a million things.

 

[gdvan01]

This reminds me of a copy of bank security tapes we saw as part of a training class. The tape showed a robbery in progress...a couple of lines of people waiting to complete their transactions and then this guy approaches the counter, jumps over it and commences with the robbery. One thing that was pointed out was another guy in line that started to look around to see if there was anyone else involved or if the thief was working alone. I apologize that I can't remember if someone else involved jumped out of line and started to participate or if the original turd was alone.

The guy that was in line looking around ended up being an off-duty officer and was able to prevent the completion of the robbery. The point to this is, make sure you know what you are dealing before taking any action in this type of situation. You never know if some dirtbag has an accomplice waiting to deal with anyone wanting to save the day. Live witnesses are always better then dead heros.

 

[DesertShooter]

Something similar to your "situational awareness" took place several years ago when a buddy of mine was in his bank. He noted that one particular male customer was overly-fidgety and nervous, and seemed to be trying to "shield" his face from the cameras in the bank.

My friend watched as that "fidget" approached one of the teller windows, and....sure enough, the "fidget" opened his windbreaker to reveal the butt end of a revolver in his waistband. The teller pushed several stacks of banded bills across the counter to the "fidget", who stuffed them into his windbreaker pockets, and even into the waist of his trousers.

My friend was only one of THREE people in the bank that knew what had transpired (bank teller, "Mr. Fidget" were the other two). No one else made any moves.

Well, my friend allowed the "fidget" to exit the bank, but he stayed as close to him as safely possible....for you see, my friend was an off-duty police officer and was ARMED!

Remember the stack of banded bills that "fidget" had placed in the waist of his trousers? Well, the bank teller was commended for her action....of having handed the "fidget" an EXPLODING dye pack of bills! Yep, the same pack of banded bills that "fidget" had placed in his trousers!

"BLAM!". The dye pack exploded when the "fidget" had reached the parking lot! Although the exploding dye packs are not "lethal" when they explode, they CAN cause some "discomfort" if you're holding onto them....or have them next to your "family jewels"! Yep, that's where "fidget" had that dye pack when it exploded!

My friend pounced on the "fidget" and disarmed him, then held him "at bay" until the local police arrived. "Fidget" thought that his "privates" had been blown off, due to the amount of red dye on the front of his trousers!

 

[Lennyjoe]

Its good practice for a CCW carrier to know his surroundings and whats going on around him. You probably noticed something that the other 10 sheeple in line didn't.

It's always good to assess situations before you respond if at all possible. If gdvan01 scenario had been just a bit different, it could of been bad for anyone trying to stop the robbery. Lets say the guy in line (instead of being an off duty cop) was the robbers back up and was watching to see if anyone engaged. Would of been bad if another person in line tried to stop the robbery and said back up guy got the drop on him. Know what I mean?

I go to the same 2 banks 99.5% of the time and I know the inside pretty good. I kind of play scenarios out in my mind when I'm standing in line for the teller just in case something bad happens (God forbid)

Be safe and know your surroundings!

 

[Ben Shepherd]

You could call the bank and see if they have any intrest in reviewing thier security tapes.

When you tell them what you observed, I think they will be VERY interested.

 

[Spreadfire Arms]

i'd contact the branch manager of the bank and let him know, and maybe even pass the info on to your local PD robbery detectives, or your local FBI office. at the very least they can get a still photo of the guy. he may be suspected of other bank robberies.

good spot. i guess it would be a plus too if they have cameras outside and got the license plate of the car he came and/or left in.

a few years back (1998 i think) in Concord, CA, my friend (a robbery detective) went around the area banks telling the bank tellers about a guy who was robbing the area banks, he wore a hat and sunglasses always.

well lo and behold, the bank teller says, "officer, there's a guy in line with that same description." detective, who's in plain clothes, gets in line behind the jerk. the guy gets to the front of the line and commences to hand the teller the demand note. robbery going down.

officer kneels down as if tie his shoe and gets his .38 snubby (it was a .38 i lent him actually, a S&W Model 60) from an ankle rig and puts it in the guy's ear. guy tries to run and gets out to the parking lot but is sacked up by the officer. guy didn't have a weapon, only a demand note.

made the front page of the paper! what an unlucky crook!

i just got myself one of those tasers, im probably going to carry that too along with my pistol. great less lethal option, and imagine zapping a dude doing a bank robbery given the right conditions (i.e. no other bad guys involved)......

 

[Axman]

Back in 1983 I was filling my car up at a station around 10:30 pm when I noticed a late 70's Olds Cutlass idling by the gas station door. A guy came running out wearing a nylon stocking over his face wielding a short barrelled revolver. I quickly took a mental note of the plate number and stuck around till the cops showed up a few minutes later. After running the plate number and car description that I gave them, they caught the guy about 20 minutes after the robbery. Turned out to be a friend's cousin. He found a 20 year home in the Jackson, MI prison for a while.