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War Stories

Watch This!
A man was accosted while driving a car in Illinois by a hoodlum who said he had a gun. The bad guy forced him to drive to an ATM. When they got out of the car, the criminal then made a withdrawal at the ATM?from his own account. He then let the motorist go!

Incorrect Quote
The robbery suspects were all in a lineup in Los Angeles, and the witnesses prepared to identify which one robbed the bank. Detectives then instructed the suspects that each man was to repeat the words, "Give me all your money or I'll shoot." One suspect immediately shouted, "That's not what I said!"

Stick 'em Up!
The teller in Modesto had to assume there was a gun in the pocket of the man at the window. At least it looked like a gun in his pocket. Unfortunately, wanna-be bank robber Steve King didn't remember to keep his hand in the pocket. As a matter of fact, he even forgot to unclench his thumb and finger that were simulating a gun when he took his hand out of the pocket!

Is Bank Robbery Worth It?
27-year-old Robert McWilliams, from Roxbury, Massachusetts, robbed five banks in 1999. April 19 Citizens' Bank. He used a note and demanded $100, and fled the bank with $100 in cash. May 10 BankBoston. This time he had a backpack and claimed a bomb inside, and demanded all $100 bills. He left the bank with $700.

May 24 BankBoston, (different branch) again claiming a bomb in his backpack. He escaped with approximately $2,500 in cash.

June 3 Century Bank, this time with an automatic, and took $12,000.

September 22 BankBoston, (same branch he had robbed on May 10) with the automatic, and got away with about $4,900.

The grand total from the five robberies was $20,200.

McWilliams is now facing 25 years for the armed robberies and 20 years for the unarmed ones, and a fine of $500,000. If he gets the maximum and is not allowed to serve consecutive sentences, he will be 72 years old when he is released from prison.

Is robbing a bank really worth it?

Copyright © 2000 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 10, No. 6, 2/00

First published on 02/01/2000

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