Be Careful At The Bank

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Sean85746

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Nov 7, 2004
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Mesa, Arizona
I had to get some cash from the ATM tonight. I almost came away with more than I went for.

I always use a drive-up ATM because I feel exposure is lessened, and you have the car around you for limited cover from walk-up assaults.

It was just about 9:30pm when I left the house to go to the ATM. I took my dog with me...she was giving me "the look" that said "Daddy...what about me?" I should mention that she is a 4 year-old 110lb rottweiler named Twyla Von Puppymonster.

Anyway, we loaded into my truck, she took her seat next to the empty baby seat in the back of my crew cab, and I drove the mile and a half to the BofA nearest my house here in Mesa, AZ.

The bank was empty, so I drove around the building to get to the proper lane for the teller machine.

When I had almost finished my business, a car pulled right up behind me, into the lane I was using. I knew something was a little strange, as there were two other ATM's at this bank, and both were available.

I was extremely close to the teller machine and the two steel poles that protect it from drivers like my wife. Mainly to more easily reach all the slots and keypads, but also to keep people from being able to come to my window.

My cash popped out, I grabbed it, and my ATM card, and stuck it all into my center console, so I could de-ass the area quickly.

The car bumped me from behind. Not a "hit", more of a nudge.

I surprised the driver of the car by pulling WAY forward, and making a right u-turn in the bank parking lot, so I was now looking through my freshly opened passenger window at his car, who also happened to have at least 3 other people in it.

I put my truck into park, and dialed 911 with my cell (yes, I had the ear-piece in), and drew my Glock 24 with my right hand. I kept it below the line of sight of the driver of the other car, and watched.

The driver fiddled around, and seemed to be having a heated conversation with the passengers. Just about this time, the dog jumped into the front seat and let out a WOOF.

That pretty much did the trick...the car pulled out of the ATM line without doing any bank business, and tried to leave the parking lot of the bank.

God bless weekend traffic in Mesa...he couldn't pull right out onto the street, and I was able to do another U-turn, and get behind him to get his license number.

I set my Glock into the tray on my center console where I could grab it quickly, and waited for the police. When officers pulled into the lot, I reholstered it.

Officers showed up in about 2 minutes. I gave them my license, permit, and written description of the car and driver. Funny thing is...the officer never asked to take custody of my Glock while we were interacting. Good show, well done.

The officers who responded told me this had been the scene of several "bump and grab" robberies, and the car I described matched the description other "victims" had given, though none of the others as yet had a plate number.

I told the officer I had drawn my gun but had not pointed it AT anyone, or even showed it, and why...he thought it had been a good idea. DUH!

So, I have no damage to my truck, the police now have a plate number, and my dog got to go for a ride and bark at someone. Gotta love summer in AZ.

BTW...I know Double Naught Spy will critique me for not having simply left the bank.

I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE HAVING TO EXPLAIN WHY I HAD LEFT THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT...if in fact, it was really just an oops on the part of an innocent, yet ignorant driver.
 
Sean, good show, always re-holster! if you have to leave your vehicle, you still have a gun, and if some other clown bumps your truck, gun on floor Hullo!!

In holster, faces right direction all the time.

Take a small container of Ketchup with you next time! toss it through window of other vehicle, when the driver asks why just say "My dog never eats meat without ketchup"

Good end to that story.

Keep Safe. Mike.
 
While I understand how difficult it can be to quickly get a gun out when seated in the vehicle, it's good to keep in mind how one FBI agent in the Miami disaster lost his gun in maneuvering his car because he'd put it on the seat. He never did recover it during the action.

I'd say you did very well, and I note that your gun was unholstered mostly while you were sitting and watching, not driving. There are still times that I think I should have a "car gun" even though I carry concealed almost all the time. This would allow another option if for some reason my carry gun was somehow unavailable due to body position, flubbing a draw and dropping the gun, etc.

Good job!
 
I would have driven away as fast as I could......if I did not think I could handle the situation if things went bad. You were obviously confident you could do that, I think you did the right thing by not leaving. Hopefully the police will catch them before they hurt/kill anyone.
 
Sean...

Good reactions, hope your description helps catch these creeps.

My only comment is that I might not have mentioned drawing my Glock. But then that is colored by the fact that I live in the People's Commonwealth and in certain jurisdictions here that would lead to me being arrested for attempted bank robbery! (Just kidding, but not much)
 
Excellent manuever

Good use of cover, moved to get tactical advantage and escaped without harm. In my opinion, no one could have handled it any better.
My hat is off to you, sir!

:)
 
I think that was great. I don't think I'd want to do that with a car though. Like my 2001. There's a chance they could decide to ram me causing the airbag to explode. Then I'd be on foot. Wish I knew how to disconnect the airbag in my car... doh, I shouldn't say that, it's probably a felony! :scrutiny:

My what interesting times we live in..
 
Cudos Sean

Your instincts and reactions made you aware of the situation and avoided any unpleasentness. You moved your truck to where you could evaluate the situation and got the cops responding. Unless the 3 guys in the car were dead set on robbing/car jacking you, I think your confident response made them realize that they had picked the wrong "victim". Twyla confirmed their poor decision making process. :evil:
 
i don't really see what purpose telling the cops you had drawn your gun served...but hopefully they catch the bad guys
 
Scubie - IMO, it's usually best to be completelyforthcoming with the cops, especially if you've done nothing wrong. If they find out later that one of the scummies saw the gun and claims you threatened them, but you did't mention it, you've damaged your credibility, given the cops a reason to look harder into your actions and doubt your verasity (sp?).

In this case, it probably isn't a big deal, but under other circumstances, it could get you a bunch of hassle. There's a lot of truth in "The truth shall set you free."
 
Thanks for the info!!

Here in Buckeye, we do not have the luxury of a drive up ATM!!! :banghead:

However, while I'm at the machine, I always am armed and diligently scan the area for any traffic, by foot or motor!!! :scrutiny:

I will be extra vigilant from now on!! :evil:
 
Personally, I prefer walk-up ATMs for the drive-up variety after dark. Maybe it's just my car, but I detect lots of blind spots where someone might be able to walk up to me were my attention to lapse. At a walk-up, I need only turn my head to keep situational awareness.

In any case, well-handled.
 
OT drift

denfoote, say hello to Buckeye for me, please. I lived there for a number of years while working on the range in Gila Bend in the very early 60s. My daughter came home from the hospital to the little trailer park on the GB side of town. Some good memories of that country (like hunting alligators in the thickets :D )

Pops
 
Thanks all for the replies...not to worry about my Glock hitting the floor of the truck. It sticks quite tightly between the seat and center console, with the grip in an up-right position right by my right hand.

By the way...Denfoote...is it with MY, er um, I mean YOUR slick little Glock 23 that you go armed? LOL!

I hope you are liking it Pard...it served me quite well.

I am always straight with local cops. It has always stood me in good stead. Remember,,,the first to report is USUALLY the one they believe.
 
I don't know if they caught them or not. I haven't been contacted by detectives yet. An accident report was taken by the officers, even though no damage was done to my truck. I would assume, that IF they are caught, I will hear about it on that basis alone.
 
BTW...I know Double Naught Spy will critique me for not having simply left the bank.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. Actually, I would not have, but two people PM'd about this post. I had not read it previously.

Actually, it is that you didn't just leave the bank, but then you closed range on the bad guys when they were attempting to leave the bank. Leaving would have opened up your distance to the potential danger and you opted to close the distance. That was not a good idea.

You didn't feel like having to explain why you left the scene of an accident, yet you had 911 dialed on your cell phone and felt endangered enough to draw a gun. WTH? So you were afraid of explaining why you left the scene of an accident, but not afraid for your life even though you dialed 911 and had out your gun? That doesn't make sense. Why not simply call 911 you already had dialed, explain that you had been bumped from behind and that you were in fear of being robbed and that you were leaving the scene to a safe location where you would be willing to chat with an officer?

So you didn't want to have to explain why you left the scene of the accident, but you did have to meet with the same darned officers and explain everything else as a good witness and then why you drew your gun. Do you see the irony there? These sorts of stories are really neat, educational, but the huge disparities people try to explain away are amazing to me.

However, what was a really bad idea was placing your Glock in the console. In the 1986 Miami FBI shootout, 2 or 3 officers lost their guns because they were on the seat or on their laps when they had minor collisions with the bad guys. As I recall, two officers could not find their guns and were forced to use backups. One's gun fell out of the car and since he had no backup gun, he had to run and take cover behind a dumpster. He was a good witness for the event, but useless as a combatant.

Sean, you placed the gun on the console tray where you could get to it easily, but you did not have control of the gun and in the environment of the car, it could have been easily lost to your grasp had the guys opted to put their car into reverse and give you a nasty love tap to say goodbye.
 
It may be the law in his state to inform LEOs when carrying. In NC if I'm approached by an LEO I must, by law, inform him that I am carrying.
 
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