Friday morning’s robbery of the Union Bank branch at 48th and Normal Blvd. turned out to be the big event of the week. I’m sure it will be on Officer Brian Ward’s list of career highlights. I thought that clearing this string of burglaries with four arrests would be the big story of the week, but that got a bit overshadowed.
The digital footprints got the burglars, but an alert citizen was the key to the bank robbery. The citizen (I’m not sure he wants to be publicly identified, so I’ll just refer to him as Chuck) saw the suspect run out the door and dash to a nearby car. Thinking that odd, he followed and phoned 911. Yes, indeed, there had just been a robbery. Chuck vectored patrol cars in about a half mile away, at Normal Blvd. and South Street, and after a short pursuit the arrest was made.
Chuck was sitting in the lobby of the police station a few minutes later, waiting to give a statement to an investigator, when he received a bearhug and a high five from the chief of police. Wow, it just amazes me sometimes how citizens help us out. Talk about community policing!
The Lincoln Journal Star did a nice article about the recent trend in bank robberies. This is a low-yield crime in Lincoln, I’d say. Take the “by the clock” link to a neat roll-over map.
I used to drop my daughter off at the bank where this robbery occurred, one of the several Union Bank branches where she worked in college. Son, too, a few years earlier. I take an especially dim view of bank robbery for personal reasons. Both of my children are still in banking, Kelly at the SAC Federal Credit Union in Omaha, TJ here in Lincoln at Union Bank. I enjoyed calling them both on Friday evening to, well, gloat.
12 comments:
I'm sure Officer Ward will understand that when you use the term "short list of career highlights" you meant to imply the Top 10, or Top 5. Unfortunately, the way the copy reads, you imply that there is a very short list of actions that Officer Ward has taken which would be considered "career highlights"...
Good Job, Ward!
Geez, what a negative interprepation that would be. Of course I mean his top few. Like your "short list" of favorite foods, or your "short list" of places you'd most like to visit.
I'll change it, just so nobody thinks I'm implying that the list of highlights is short!
Way to go Chuck (and LPD)!
Unfortunately, we need more "Chucks" in this world. People are so afraid to get involved, and rightly so. Liability issues alone strike fear into the hearts of many brave citizens.
What if "Chuck" had pursued the unusual individual and in the process run a red light and injured someone. Would Chuck still be a hero? No, he'd be the victim of a lawsuit.
I for one applaud "Chuck". Maybe if people weren't so afraid to get their pants sued off of them, there would be more "Chucks" out there.
Tom I noticed on the crimestoppers website that they took off the robber from all of the home invasions. Did you catch him yet or was that just not suppossed to be taken off??? I sure do hope that you caught him, it would make me and a lot of other people sleep a little better at night.
Kim
A great example of a positive use of a cell phone by an alert citizen and Police personnel using this information.
Gun Nut
Oh, sorry chief I guess I didn't see the 4 arrested article this weekend. Well, that sure does make me feel a whole lot better. Now we just need to catch the creep who has been sexually assualting those poor women opening and closing the stores by themselves.
Kim
This type of action by bystanders is what makes me proud to live in Lincoln. You hear, in bigger cities, like Omaha or bigger, when crime happens, people don’t get involved or are afraid of retaliation by the offenders. Somebody gets shoot in Omaha, with a hand full of witness and nobody seen a thing. Thanks "Chuck"; you make us proud to have you as a citizen of Lincoln...
Another illustration of wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs.A BIG thanks to 'Chuck', whoever you are!
Here's the POP guide for bank robberies.
Nice job on everyone's part on these two cases.
Good, analogies, Grundle King. I believe there are more sheepdogs out there than one might think. I'd like to think I was one of them. The problem is the sheepdogs have such a huge herd of sheep to protect, and they can't always be in the right place at the right time.
I was an innocent bystander during the high speed chase, although I didn't know it was a high speed chase until Mr. Bank Robber ended the it about 10 feet from my vehicle. I saw the motorcycle cops coming toward me but didn't know there was the chase right behind me. Thinking I was being a good citizen, I pulled over but it would be nice if there was a sign the cops could use to tell me to 'get the hell outta there' instead. :>) It was pretty scary to be involved in it. It might be one of my career highlights as a citizen!
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