What would you do if caught in a bank robbery.

[GLOCK21GB]

the Branch I bank at is very small..NO WAY to evade/hide..they would see my weapon....I always watch everyone that walks in while I am doing my business...the distances inside would be easy pickings for my Long slide Glock 34...Chances are it would be a very one sided gun fight.

of course I would order them to the ground & tell them to drop their weapons and if the situation requires it I would defend myself.

 

[bomber]

Open carry or not. Scenario is simple..

You are carrying, and 2 BGs enter the bank..

Would you try to evade and escape or try to get position and stop the threat?

This is missing a lot of details, but its a simple scenario. You know where you bank and how its laid out. Set it up and play it out in your head a few times.. What do you think you would be doing?

This is in the forefront of my mind at the moment, because I understand that yesterday the credit union I bank at was robbed by 2 BGs and both were armed.

I feel I am pretty firmly planted in the evade/escape mindset given the scenario. There is an area of the bank that if someone had access too it during the robbery I feel someone would have good position and perhaps opportunity (depending) to stop the threat. Given that 2 armed men are threatening other people with guns drawn, would you feel justified in stopping a threat such as this?

shoot the hostage

 

[Gunslinger]

There have been several robberies in COS of branch banks. One thing is the same in each: the robbers made sure there were no customers in the bank. Here, the chances of a customer CCing is a risk the would be robber is very clear about.

 

[hogeaterf6]

Those who care about those around them will not open fire unless and until the BGs do something other than rob a bank, something that indicates they will shoot. Again, most armed bank robbers do not shoot. Check that; almost none do. If you shoot, almost all, even those who had no intention of shooting anyone, will open fire.

TV and the movies create a hugely distorted impression of guns, bad guys, and bank robberies. And it ain't just the antis being sucked in by the misinformation spread by popular culture.

'almost none do'. I would not take that low percent and risk my life on it. If only 3% of robbers shoot how will I know if i am in that 3% or not? Thats a 50% chance I am! lol Thats similar to the recorder thing. You have a low chance of being stopped but you wear one anyway.
Its only money some said. Then why should we arm ourselves? We are more opted to being robbed then at random shooting. Should we not protect ourselves from someone breaking into our home while we sleep cause its only 'stuff' they are taking?
The thread responses have turned my views around from what I read weekly on here.

 

[Sonora Rebel]

Oh no... another 'hero' scenario... Well... (in a loud commanding voice) "Criminals... I say to you now... Knock off all that EVIL!!!' That'll work...

Barring that... if I see 'gun'... I'm gonna pull 'n shoot if I'm able. I think some people here are more afraid of lawyers than they are of bad guys. Maybe that's the case in their state. Not here. There will be no conversations... no 'drop your gun' orders... that's TV B.S. 'See gun... shoot. If you don't have the sand to shoot... then don't carry the thing.

 

[eye95]

'almost none do'. I would not take that low percent and risk my life on it. If only 3% of robbers shoot how will I know if i am in that 3% or not? Thats a 50% chance I am! lol Thats similar to the recorder thing. You have a low chance of being stopped but you wear one anyway.
Its only money some said. Then why should we arm ourselves? We are more opted to being robbed then at random shooting. Should we not protect ourselves from someone breaking into our home while we sleep cause its only 'stuff' they are taking?
The thread responses have turned my views around from what I read weekly on here.

The point that seems to be so elusive is the HIGH probability innocents being killed that otherwise would not have been in the 97% of the cases (using your numbers which probably overestimate the propensity of bank robbers to shoot) when you open fire when the bad guys would not have.

It is attitudes like that (which most of us do not have) that give carriers a rep as being trigger happy. I hope that you are never in a bank robbery and that no one ever dies because of precipitous action on your part.

 

[Blk97F150]

... I'm not a cop and nobody hired me to protect them/their property. Therefore I am going to consider using my handgun in self defense/defense of an innocent other in only the most extreme circumstance when there is no other way and it can be done with the least possibility of injuring a bystander.

Well said! +1 million.... or more....

 

[rickc1962]

Here at the bank I put MY money in, there is no glass or anything else to stop tham varmints, anyone can just walk thru the door to the tellers, or just jump the counter. From the lobby one could just walk past all the cubicles full of busy workers strait to the head person with not one door to pass thru.

My six shooter is hard to miss! So, me and the tellers have many times talked about this very topic, I have told them that I work hard for the " GOLDDUST IN THE BAG " and would not give it up to anyone, for any reason, they all understand and agree.

Here in Az. we have lots of shooten` ranges, its called BLM or " open range ", out in this land of snaked and coyotes, I set up practice scenarios and targets, and shoot like theres no tomorrow, I always shoot from the hip, BECOUSE in real life none of us would have the time to get a bead on the BG. I have 2x4 s` with clothespins on the end, I clip 9 in. paper plates to the clothespins, the plates are at chest level and I can hit them all day long.

I hope this scenario never happens, but if it does I`m prepared, I will stop at least 2 or 3, if there is others I don't see as someone else stated, then they probably will kill me, but that's a chance I`m willing to take. As far as innocent bystanders, they will most likely be on the ground.

I don`t just do this for my bank, but also for the stores I shop at, the grub houses I eat at, and every other place I frequent. Just my 2 cents.

 

[rickc1962]

The point that seems to be so elusive is the HIGH probability innocents being killed that otherwise would not have been in the 97% of the cases (using your numbers which probably overestimate the propensity of bank robbers to shoot) when you open fire when the bad guys would not have.

It is attitudes like that (which most of us do not have) that give carriers a rep as being trigger happy. I hope that you are never in a bank robbery and that no one ever dies because of precipitous action on your part.

Eye; I have to agree with Sonora, if you don`t have the sand to pull that hog-lag then leave it at home and be a victim like the rest of the sheep.

Say your in that bank that gets robed, you do nothing and play the coward, as the hold up men leave they start shooten` `couse they don`t want witness, if say you live, and say you even stop them outlaws as they leave, can you please tell me how you would explain to the families of the dead how you did nothing.

 

[eye95]

Eye; I have to agree with Sonora, if you don`t have the sand to pull that hog-lag then leave it at home and be a victim like the rest of the sheep.

Say your in that bank that gets robed, you do nothing and play the coward, as the hold up men leave they start shooten` `couse they don`t want witness, if say you live, and say you even stop them outlaws as they leave, can you please tell me how you would explain to the families of the dead how you did nothing.

Oh, I will have the "sand" to pull it to protect myself or innocents. I won't have the STUPIDITY to pull it in a situation where the overwhelming likelihood is that no one will be shot if I don't open fire!

Protecting lives is a sandworthy endeavor. Protecting insured money, thereby putting folks at increased risk, is being stupidly cowboy. Folks with that mentality should leave their firearms home lest they give the rest of the carrying population a bad rep.

 

[Claytron]

Eye; I have to agree with Sonora, if you don`t have the sand to pull that hog-lag then leave it at home and be a victim like the rest of the sheep.

Say your in that bank that gets robed, you do nothing and play the coward, as the hold up men leave they start shooten` `couse they don`t want witness, if say you live, and say you even stop them outlaws as they leave, can you please tell me how you would explain to the families of the dead how you did nothing.

And say that these robbers hit the bank and are about to leave when you decide to play john wayne and pull your gun and shoot, then they start shooting and end up hitting you and a portion of the other 15-20 bank patrons.

Can you explain to all of us exactly what you would say to the family of someone who was just murdered for no reason because you wanted to play cowboy and escalate the situation?

Statistically, bank robbers dont want anything to do with the patrons, they want the easy money right behind the counter, in and out no extra commotion, no shots fired and as little attention grabbed as possible. Banks are insured by the FDIC, they just want the robber to take the money and run so the FBI can catch them.

 

[zack991]

As long as they are not attempting to hurt myself, others or even kidnapping a person from the bank I will allow them to leave alive. The second they cross that line and I know my actions outweigh anything negative then doing nothing I will act.

 

[rickc1962]

And say that these robbers hit the bank and are about to leave when you decide to play john wayne and pull your gun and shoot, then they start shooting and end up hitting you and a portion of the other 15-20 bank patrons.

Can you explain to all of us exactly what you would say to the family of someone who was just murdered for no reason because you wanted to play cowboy and escalate the situation?

Statistically, bank robbers dont want anything to do with the patrons, they want the easy money right behind the counter, in and out no extra commotion, no shots fired and as little attention grabbed as possible. Banks are insured by the FDIC, they just want the robber to take the money and run so the FBI can catch them.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4069761537893819675

I know this has nothing to do with banks, but it does show the mindset of bad guys.

I`m sorry if you have to type the video in, but I am learning more about computers every day and don`t know how to make it so it can just be clicked on.

I know its insured, but I work hard for that property called money, and what am I, as a working cowboy, or prospector, or a dish washer, and living paycheck to paycheck, to do if me or my bank was robbed. Do you think me or anyone else could wait 90 days to get our money back ?

Oh and by the way, more and more bad guys ARE killing bystanders, just because, there is no rime or reason on which slimeball will kill, or if you or the person next to you will be shot.

I don`t know how things are done in the big cities of the deep south, or the anti gun liberal northeast, but here in Az. we value not only the lives around us, but also the property we work hard for.

 

[Sonora Rebel]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4069761537893819675

I know this has nothing to do with banks, but it does show the mindset of bad guys.

I`m sorry if you have to type the video in, but I am learning more about computers every day and don`t know how to make it so it can just be clicked on.

I know its insured, but I work hard for that property called money, and what am I, as a working cowboy, or prospector, or a dish washer, and living paycheck to paycheck, to do if me or my bank was robbed. Do you think me or anyone else could wait 90 days to get our money back ?

Oh and by the way, more and more bad guys ARE killing bystanders, just because, there is no rime or reason on which slimeball will kill, or if you or the person next to you will be shot.

I don`t know how things are done in the big cities of the deep south, or the anti gun liberal northeast, but here in Az. we value not only the lives around us, but also the property we work hard for.

It's a regional culture thing. They have no knowledge of actual cowboys.

 

[eye95]

...I know its insured, but I work hard for that property called money, and what am I, as a working cowboy, or prospector, or a dish washer, and living paycheck to paycheck, to do if me or my bank was robbed. Do you think me or anyone else could wait 90 days to get our money back ? ...

Do you really think that when a bank is robbed, that money leaves your account until the insurance company settles up??

I can assure you that, unless a robbery is the straw that breaks the back of the liquidity of a bank (I'd say less than one in a million chance), as soon as you can get to a counter not taped off as a crime scene, you can verify that every penny of your money is still in your account.

 

[Brimstone Baritone]

If they haven't shot anyone, reasonably don't appear to be threatening anyone (There is a world of difference between "Everyone be cool and nobody gets hurt" and "Put the money in the bag or I'll blow you ******* brains out"), and aren't stealing the money/property of any individuals inside the bank then I'm going to... be cool and not get hurt.

It's not rocket surgery. As long as they are robbing the bank, and not me personally, the money is insured. Why would I want to put my life and the lives of those around me at risk for no reason? Now if they go all Swordfish and start strapping people up to homemade claymore mines, we have a problem.

 

[Claytron]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4069761537893819675

I know this has nothing to do with banks, but it does show the mindset of bad guys.

I`m sorry if you have to type the video in, but I am learning more about computers every day and don`t know how to make it so it can just be clicked on.

I know its insured, but I work hard for that property called money, and what am I, as a working cowboy, or prospector, or a dish washer, and living paycheck to paycheck, to do if me or my bank was robbed. Do you think me or anyone else could wait 90 days to get our money back ?

Oh and by the way, more and more bad guys ARE killing bystanders, just because, there is no rime or reason on which slimeball will kill, or if you or the person next to you will be shot.

I don`t know how things are done in the big cities of the deep south, or the anti gun liberal northeast, but here in Az. we value not only the lives around us, but also the property we work hard for.

You say you value lives yet at the same time are willing to attempt to take someones away and risk other innocent lives because you have, for some reason, the impression that a bank robber is going to just turn around on his way out and start firing off some fully automatic ak47 with one hand while hes laughing maniacally, and statistically thats just not the case.

As far as you needing to wait 90 days to get your money back, i have no idea about that but honestly i doubt you would starve to death if your bank was robbed and you did have to supposedly wait 90 days. Waiting that period is a hell of a lot better than being dead, especially in a situation where the criminal would not have harmed anyone anyway, which is typically the case in a bank robbery.

 

[rickc1962]

Do you really think that when a bank is robbed, that money leaves your account until the insurance company settles up??

I can assure you that, unless a robbery is the straw that breaks the back of the liquidity of a bank (I'd say less than one in a million chance), as soon as you can get to a counter not taped off as a crime scene, you can verify that every penny of your money is still in your account.

Eye, you are probably right, and if you are then I stand corrected, but that's not the point. As Jimmy Stewart said you money isn't here, its in Mr. Jones` house, and his money is in Mr. Salvadore`s house, and his money is in Mr. Orian`s house, so when you protect it your not just protecting your stock but every other investors stock also, as far as the FDIC, I have not seen the government do many things right, and I do not trust them for this ether.

Now I need to comment on the John Wayne, and cowboy slurs. Nobody romances the Founders, or the Civil War, or the eastern industrialist of the 1800s` but the romance of the American Cowboy is still alive today. You see the Cowboy IS the backbone of America, and no one can ever change that.

We live by a code that few know or could even understand, as Willy Nelson said " Them that don`t know em won`t like em, and them that do won`t know how to take em. " We, the Cowboy don`t think a job is worth doing if it can`t be done horseback, we will spend 6 months living in a wagon in Mt. when its 40 below and blowing snow, just to make sure the wolves don't get our sheep, or live in a cow camp in the hot summer heat of Az. to protect our heard. And the Cowboy does this for a range of between 200 to 400 dollars a month.

From the Vaqueros of old Ca. to them that drove the first heard from Tx. to the Rocky Mt. North, our code has endeared, we are kind to dogs and children, we treat women like Queens, we help the elderly and the week, and if a bad guy is deserving lead poisoning we will oblige.

As far as John Wayne, no one is grater then the Duke, he personifies America, many a child has looked at him as a hero, and rightfully so. So if you want to compare me to him, then I say thank you.

You see there is no one in history greater then the Cowboy, its not what we do, but who we are, and if you don`t like that, we really don`t care.

 

[ccrews]

Most bank robberies go down un noticed. I speak from experience that while opening a new account one day the bank went into lockdown. Wondering what had happened they then announced they had been robbed and proceeded to interview everyone. No one noticed anything.

If it were an openly armed robbery I would have to evaluate the situation but more than likely the escape evade route would be my first reaction especially if the odds were greater than 1:1 and even then I would have to evaluate my personal risk or the threat to my wife or children if present with me.

 

[eye95]

Eye, you are probably right, and if you are then I stand corrected, but that's not the point. As Jimmy Stewart said you money isn't here, its in Mr. Jones` house, and his money is in Mr. Salvadore`s house, and his money is in Mr. Orian`s house, so when you protect it your not just protecting your stock but every other investors stock also, as far as the FDIC, I have not seen the government do many things right, and I do not trust them for this ether...

That is precisely the point. You are willing to open fire to protect money! This is money that will be lost only by the insurance company (and is often recovered) and covered by premiums that banks are all too willing to pay. It is far cheaper to pay the premiums for insurance than to try to stop robberies altogether. Banks make sure that not too much money is unsecured and immediately available to be taken, that they collect enough information to make catching and prosecuting the robber a near certainty, that the police are promptly notified, that much of the money is ruined and then replaced by the Treasury, and that no one gets hurt.

One trigger-happy guy can take a situation that has been dealt with well and turn it into a bloody nightmare.

Folks, again, unless you have reason to believe that the robbers are going to hurt someone (which almost NEVER happens), let the robbery play out according to the bank's plan, while being vigilant for a clear sign that defense of innocents will be necessary. Such defense almost surely will not be necessary.