Men hold up Westmoreland Co. bank. What would you do?

[HiredGoon]

The below story I just read made me think...in this situation with 4 robbers, if you were a customer in the bank at the time and you had your firearm...what would you do?

Doesn't seem like there would be too much you could do at this point...even with one robber, it would be a tough call if he already has pistol in hand.

After creating diversion, men hold up Laughlintown bank
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Police in Westmoreland County are searching for armed men who held up a bank in Ligonier Township this morning after first creating a diversion two miles away by shooting at a Dollar General store.

The men held up the First Commonwealth Bank branch on Route 30 in the Laughlintown community, county Public Safety spokesman Dan Stevens said. A part-time bank employee was ordered to open the safe.

When he told the robbers he didn't know the combination, he was hit in the head with a pistol. He was not seriously injured.

Then a full-time teller opened the safe.

Investigators said at a press conference this afternoon that the robbers entered the bank at 9:23 a.m., three minutes after the shooting was reported at the Dollar General in Ligonier Borough.

The lone officers from the borough and the township who were on duty at the time both responded to the store incident, as did police from surrounding townships.

They were looking for a black man in a white T-shirt who fled on foot south on Market Street.

He was not found.

While they were there, four masked men entered the bank, ordered the four employees and one customer to the floor. In addition to striking one employee, the men were described as profane and demanding.

Officials wouldn't say how much was taken.

The men fled east on Route 30 in a vehicle police refused to describe.

FBI Agent David Hedges said authorities are concerned about the level of violence.

"We have a group of bank robbers out there and they're shooting. We have to get them off the street," Agent Hedges said.

The use of an apparent diversion followed by a bank robbery resembles two other recent cases in the region. One occurred in the New Kensington area in April and the other was in Washington County during the winter.

Authorities said they were aware of the similarities.

[glock27owner]

the men were described as profane and demanding.

how dare they use foul language while comiting armed robbery

[Qtrborecrazy]

Did the bank have a sign in the window NO FIREARMS ALLOWED? If they did I would help the guy fill the bags with doe ray me. I feared for my life is what I would tell the FBI.

[ThoughtCriminal]

Unless I had to protect myself or someone else, I'd ust spectate. The bank's money is insured.

[tdyoung58]

Unless I had to protect myself or someone else, I'd ust spectate. The bank's money is insured.

Yeah, me one guy, them 4 guys . . . . I concure

[crakkajakka15]

If it was one or two guys thats different....but 4 I dont think the odds are in your favor...money is insured.....if it was 1 or 2 guy I would have feared for my life.....you can fill in the rest



you know what would be real funny after the robbery was over and everyone found out you were armed they would get on you for not doing anything probably lol crazy sheep

[nijwnfi]

Unless shooting started, and I had suitable cover, nothing. My life is worth more than being a hero to a bank.

[PisnNapalm]

If it was one or two guys thats different....but 4 I dont think the odds are in your favor...money is insured.....if it was 1 or 2 guy I would have feared for my life.....you can fill in the rest

Don't forget that every inch of the inside of a bank is covered by video surveillance.

[XD40coyote]

I wouldn't do a thing, just stand back and watch. Now if the men started ordering everyone in the back and started making people kneel down with their heads facing the wall, I'd get very scared they were going to start shooting people, so I'd have to key in on the one armed guy, or if all 4 are armed, I'd have had to pick up on who the leader of their little pack is, and go for him first, as he is likley the worst threat of the 4. The hope is if you get the alpha, the rest will spook and scatter the hell out of there.

I always think about the 3 people killed at the DC Starbucks, the fast food place in Palatine ILL ( 7 killed), the Lane Bryant store in ILL( 5 killed),the Amish schoolhouse ( 5) and the bank in the Phillipines where I think 9-10 people were plain massacred by the robbers. When they start herding you and lining you up against a wall, YES your life could be in danger!

[LittleRedToyota]

this bank clearly should have put up some of those "no guns allowed" signs like the ones from jahwarrior's thread...

then the robbers would have had to leave their guns outside in the getaway car...and that one teller would not have gotten pistol whipped.

heck, the robbers prolly would have not wanted to rob a bank without using their guns, and, so, they prolly would have just moved on and found another place to rob.