Bank Teller fired for chasing down would be robber and apprehending him...

 

Definitely one of the most honorable ways of losing a job...

 

http://news.aol.com/article/bank-teller-ji...robber%2F599624

 

 

SEATTLE (Aug. 22) -- A Seattle bank teller has lost his job because he ran down a would-be bank robber and held him until police arrived. Jim Nicholson, 30, who had worked for more than two years at a Key Bank branch near the Seattle Center, says he understands the bank's strict policy that employees comply with robbery demands and avoid confrontations.

 

But he told The Seattle Times that instinct took over when a thin man in a beanie cap, dark clothing and sunglasses pushed a black backpack across the bank counter on Tuesday and demanded money.

 

Nicholson threw the bag to the floor, lunged toward the man and demanded to see a weapon. The man bolted for the door with Nicholson in pursuit.

He chased him several blocks before knocking him to the ground with the help of a passer-by. Nicholson then held the man until police arrived.

 

On Thursday, Nicholson was fired. Key Bank spokeswoman Anne Foster declined to comment on Nicholson and his actions.

 

Police and the FBI discourage such heroics. Bank tellers are trained to get robbers out the door quickly and are advised against possibly escalating a situation over money that's federally insured.

 

Nicholson said he understands why he was fired.

 

"They tell us that we're just supposed to comply, but my instincts kicked in and I did what's best to stop the guy," he said. "I thought if I let him go he would rob more banks and cause more problems."

 

Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said the best course for citizens is to be good witnesses to crimes.

 

"When confronted by a violent criminal, it is best to comply unless they feel their personal safety is in jeopardy. It is possible that taking action and confronting the criminal may lead to the injury of the victim or other bystanders."

 

"You want tellers to be proactive, but you want them to do it safely," said FBI Special Agent Fred Gutt.

 

The would-be robber, a 29-year-old transient, has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for theft and robbery, according to court records. Charges in the attempted robbery were not immediately filed.

 

Nicholson said he has run after shoplifters while working at other retail jobs.

 

"It's something I almost look forward to. It's a thrill and I'm an adrenaline-junkie person. It's the pursuit," he said.

 

Idiot! If the perp hed a gun, he might have shot another customer just to make a point. Well done to the Bank.

hmmmmmm

He'll be fine..I'm sure some mall security firm will hire him as a rent-a-cop.

Now just execute the perp.

hmmmm, if i was the bank manager, i would have given him an award, promotion, and a bonus..... hmmmmm, strange world that a guy who stops a crime and takes action gets fired...

I see both sides to the story, but I dont think it should have gone as far as firing him. I used to work at a bank, and quite frankly I'd probably do the same thing. But putting your colleagues in danger is a no no too, so it's a toss up for me.

Sounds about right. I used to work at a gas station. They told us never to run down gas drive offs or robbers. Just to get the most amount of info we could.

 

Now my personal opinion is I don't think the guy should be canned. He just got the criminal, but he knew the rules too.

yeah thats a tough one...in any movie that employee would be the hero, but in real life the question of who his actions put in danger arises. But then if say someone had been hurt, is it really the employee's fault? or is it the fault of the robber who was breaking the law in the first place? whose to say that the robber wasn't going to hurt someone anyways and that the employee actually prevented further violence?

 

These days with lonely nut jobs walking into exercise gyms and randomly shooting at women is it really better to just hit the deck and be a good witness for the police? It makes me think of that plane involved in the 9-11 attacks were people rushed the terrorists and tried to take back the plane...yes the plane crashed and they all died...but who knows how many lives they saved by trying or if they maybe could have succeeded.

 

Its the same for when someone breaks into your house at night...should you just lie there and pretend to be sleeping and hope he just takes your computer...or should you jump up, turn on some lights, grab whatever you can and try scare/beat his ass out of your house...you dont really know what the intruders intentions are, it may seem like a simple robbery, but maybe he's there to kidnap/rape/kill your daughter. Maybe he's armed, maybe he's not...but i think I'd rather die fighting.

 

I say good for this employee...saying "but someone else could have been hurt" sounds like a very nervous nelly thing to say. Criminals thrive on having the upper hand and the complacency of there victims. there a lot like bullies, when they are met with surprise, aggression, noise, light, variables, and things not going like they planned, they tend to retreat.

 

Just my $0.02

^^^^ good comment.. I would have to agree with you.

 

Nicholson said he has run after shoplifters while working at other retail jobs.

 

"It's something I almost look forward to. It's a thrill and I'm an adrenaline-junkie person. It's the pursuit," he said.

 

Idiot. It just takes one gung ho macho a**hole to get someone shot. They go through mandatory robbery training several times a year at most banks and credit unions, and they are told to be observant to aid in prosecution and to NEVER confront the robber. They are also told that the money is insured, so there is no need to try and save it.

 

- Robert

 

 

If he chased the guy down outside the bank then I don't see why he was fired. Odds of him pulling a gun and just shoting a random person in public is slim to none i'd say. But I can see where the bank is coming from as well.

He's a brave idiot who gets himself or a passerby seriously injured for his actions more times then not.

 

He was fired because he didn't follow company policy which is in place to reduce the risk of harm to the companies patrons. Easy fire.

I have a question for some of you:

 

If it was an 11 year old kid who came into the store, and the same thing happened, should he still be fired? Yes there is a possibility that the 11 yo could be armed and shoot someone, but I think general consensus would agree that any grown man should have no problem taking down an 11 year old kid, right? Well maybe that's how this teller looked at this situation?

 

I definitely see both sides of the story. The teller broke the rules, and should be fired as a result, but I hardly think he was being stupid.