UPDATE: PNC Bank Robbed in Highland Park
Photos of the robbery released; robber not yet apprehended.
Photos
Update 1:06 p.m.: The Highland Park Police Department has issued a news release with the following information on this morning's PNC Bank robbery.
At 8:08 a.m. Thursday morning, a black male in his 20s walked into the bank's lobby and presented a note to the teller. The note implied the man had a gun and directed her to turn over the cash from the drawer. The teller complied.
The offender was last seen walking west on Central Avenue. He has not been located as of noon Thursday. There were no injuries as a result of the robbery.
Residents are encouraged by the Highland Park Police to report any unusual activity, but are urged not to approach anyone acting suspiciously.
Update 10:16 a.m.: More information about this morning's robbery and robber was just sent out by the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce, who received it from Highland Park Police Investigator Scott Fishman:
Today at 8:10 a.m. the PNC Bank at Central and First Street was robbed. The robber gave the teller a note and implied a weapon. He also left some sort of device at the bank and it is being examined at this time by law enforcement.
The offender is described as a 5'8'', medium build, black male with glasses, possibly wearing a wig. He was also described as wearing dark pants and a dark jacket.
Update 10 a.m.: According to multiple sources, the PNC Bank robber has been described as a black man in his 20s.
Earlier: The PNC Bank on Central Avenue in Highland Park was robbed shortly after opening Thursday morning, according to Highland Park Police officers.
A press release will soon be available with more details about the incident. As of 9:30 a.m., Highland Park police officers set up a two-block perimeter from the scene of the crime. All schools within two blocks of the PNC are on lockdown.
A canine unit from North Chicago's Police Department was walking along Central Avenue while Highland Park officers looked through plants and bushes for anything the robber might have left behind after fleeing the bank.
An FBI agent was also at the scene, speaking with three of the bank's visibly shaken employees.
The robber was not the same as the one who robbed the Chase Bank earlier this month, according to Highland Park Police Detective Sean Curran.
Keep checking back for more information.
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In This article
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National City Bank/PNC Bank
579 Central Ave, Highland Park, IL -
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Highland Park Chamber of Commerce
Joined Patch Thursday, January 13, 2011
Michael Melinger
10:17 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
At this point I think both the banks and the local law enforcement need to step up efforts to prevent these things from happening. There are 3 public schools (including 1 elementary school) in the area. Besides the potential danger, productivity is disrupted by lockdowns. The retail banking industry has a responsibility to take some simple precautionary and preventative measures to reduce the chances of these things happening. And more police in the area will help. Otherwise, Highland Park will become known as an easy target for bank robberies.
bgguy
10:46 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
More police presence would require the City Manager to stop cutting the police department budget. The City is understaffed now and it will only get worse. Want more police? Call City Hall.
David Greenberg
1:04 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
It's not up to the Police alone to prevent these issues - the banks share responsibility. Police can't be everywhere all the time, nor would we want them to be. Banks could install additional devices to thwart or prevent robbery, but there's a few issues with them: 1) They're not customer friendly, 2) They give the impression of walking into a prison or fortress so it's not inviting to customers, 3) They can lock the criminal in the bank - which can be a threat to customers/staff, 4) Sometimes things go wrong with them, so an innocent person could be adversely affected (read: lawsuit). The banks take all this into account, do a risk analysis and figure it's better to give the crook what they want and get them out of the bank fast figuring that they'll leave peacefully.
That said - I think the banks should install cameras at face level in more areas of the bank, and especially at the teller windows so they can get good, clear shots of the criminals - rather than the severely angled, medium resolution shots that they get now. The costs aren't too much higher on the cameras than what they're spending now, and having some of those cameras plainly visible may even prove to be a deterrent to crime.
Carol Birenholtz Grabscheid
1:26 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Michael, you have said it so well Thank you.
Old H.P.
10:40 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I don't think we have time for little things like bank robberies, when we have important things like cell phone drivers. Now thats a crime worth hunting down.
Brad
11:25 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thinly veiled sarcasm there, Joe. Hey - if you don't think 6,000 deaths from distracted driving a year is a crime worth hunting down, fine by me.
But if I had to guess where I'm more likely to wind up killed, I'd put my money on the Edens, vs. standing in line at the bank.
Ed Brill
10:42 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
If it was 8:10 AM, then I am pretty darn impressed that HP police were on every corner along Green Bay Road by 8:15 AM when I drove by.
Justin
11:57 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Here's an idea: as all these dozens of retail banking locations starting flooding highland park and dominating our downtown, why not enact a tax on them to recover the difference between what they pay in property tax and what they cost to protect due to their high appeal to criminals? We have have an excess of banks partly because the cost of defending them is borne by the public. If we privatize those costs, we would have a more efficient number of retail banking locations.
David Greenberg
1:07 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Where do you draw the line for who gets taxed? How is it evaluated? What about jewelry stores? Restaurants or grocery stores that take in large amounts of cash? Luxury car dealers?
I'd argue that we have an excess of banks primarily because of the area's demographics.
Javier
1:25 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
It is not unreasonable to place a tax on banks - call it a security Inspection fee. Contrary to David Greenberg's comment, you do have to create a line. Banks draw an additional set of security concerns and place our community at risk. A security fee, which we include some kind of inspection from the PD to ensure a bank has adequate documented procedures, technology, and is able to install deterrence measures would be appropriate.
We have other fees for everything from roof inspections to false fire alarm fees. They are designed so users of City resources (police/fire protection, etc.) shoulder their cost. Let these banks pay for a police presence or even a substation in the downtown area. We all know there's plenty of vacant storefronts for a "police store."
Ed Brill
1:28 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
There is a police substation in the Port Clinton parking garage already...
David Greenberg
7:18 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Javier, I beg to disagree. The banks are already paying taxes, and other fees for things like alarm systems. They're kicking in their fair share into the system. A fee for every response is crazy for actual issues. If they were setting off the alarm just for giggles, then yeah, by all means - give them a false alarm fee.
As for the "security fee" - the cops aren't going to be conducting inspections because then that puts them in the middle of things liability wise when super crook comes along with a new, innovative way of committing crime. If the bank needs someone to create procedures, set up technology, and install deterrence measures - there's 3rd party companies for that.
bgguy
12:31 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Maybe the banks in town should hire security guards. Just a thought.
The Q
12:56 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
More cops is not the answer......why not just put them on every corner. Its a Brave New World.
Javier
1:30 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
More cops is the answer. Robbers don't rob banks when they see cops nearby. This is a fundamental thing in LE. When criminals see police, they avoid them. They go elsewhere.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
1:58 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Javier, then we need a cop on every corner. We have gas stations, convenience stores, banks, etc. all over HP. Nobody was hurt and the bank has insurance. Lets not over react.
John Richards
1:06 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
CONGRATS HPPD! TWO BANKS HIT IN ONE MONTH...HONESTLY THIS IS AND HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WORST POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN NORTHSHORE HISTORY!...Yea you guys got "Air One" up there in the sky looking at nothing. When i was at the last 4th of July parade...when they annoucned HPPD i thought i was going to see some kind of display of force or presence of the police dept....all we saw was a guy in a golf cart....SO EMBARASSING. Keep up the good work guys!
Frank Williams
3:37 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Congrats John, this might be the most ignorant comment anyone has ever posted on this website (which is saying a lot!!). Shame on HPPD for not using their magical crystal ball to predict the exact time and location of these crimes. I have had the opportunity to live in cities (small and large) all over this great country. Highland Park Police are at the top of the list in terms of quality of service and professionalism!! The people on the North Shore are high maintenance to say the least. It takes a special person to want or be able to work in a community like HP. I would think this would be the last place someone would want to be an officer. I cannot even begin to imagine what they have to deal with from some of the people in this community!! John you are a perfect example.
Keeper
8:23 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
I agree with Frank, people like Richards make me sick. Heck I wouldn't like to work in a town that has unappreciative jerks like that.
Russ Krochock
12:18 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
I also agree with Frank. It's not the police that are the embarrassment to this community, John...it's self-righteous people like you that propagate the stereotype that people who live in the north shore act like...well...like you just did in you post. Are you actually basing part of your argument on what the police presence looked like at a parade?! You're that jerk at the parade who ran across the street in front of my float (and almost got hit) to grab a mini frisbee for your daughter, aren't you?
The Q
1:39 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Lets have more Cops, free health insurance, lower taxes, and Food Stamps for everyone.......this is why America is broke, and HP will be next.
Crime is so low in HP......one bank robbery and even 2, does not mean we need more cops on every corner folks.
We need to do more with less and we sure don't need more government spending on police presence.
Greg Thomas
1:46 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I just want to say I didn't do it. I was in bed at the time, so this declaration should help their search substantially.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
1:56 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I don't understand why everybody is blaming the police for this crime. As somebody else said, the banks need to provide basic levels of security. The police can never be in every place at all times. Given the relative low crime in HP, more police is probably not a good use of resources. The police's role in this is to work with the FBI to investigate the crime after the fact. The deterrent factor comes in when its published that the offender is caught and put into prison. 2 Bank robberies in a year is not a crime spree.
David Greenberg
7:21 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
It's not the HP PD's fault, they don't have a crystal ball, and even if they had more information at their fingertips, crime is still going to happen. Witness the East German Stazi - they had all kinds of surveillance, spys, strict laws, etc. and stuff still got through.
You can't prevent 100% of everything, so you manage the risk that comes along with what you expect to occur. The bank wants the crook out of the bank, the cops and the FBI try to track the perp down and arrest him.
Stu Pidasso
2:33 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I agree, put it on the banks.. I have heard that after writing off whatever loss that is incurred, the Banks are not that cooperative with FBI etc, it makes their job more difficult in apprehending these criminals. Let the banks be more proactive, if they choose to be. They do not seem to be that concerned after a robbery occurs. Just a thought.
Stu Pidasso
2:36 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
John, I agree with you , the golf cart on the fourth of July was embarrassing. I heard lots of people around me laughing. I do not know what the point was.
Frank Williams
3:12 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Seriously??? Well lets see here, HPPD has 13 marked squad cars, the Fourth of July parade requires numerous Officers (and squads) to control traffic (block streets) for the parade. Oh, you almost forgot, they still have to have patrol officers in squad cars patrolling the rest of the 12 square mile city. Not to many squad cars left over to drive down Central Ave for YOUR entertainment!! I guess the City needs to buy more squad cars at approx $25K a piece so Stu and John can be entertained once a year!!
John Richards
2:39 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I DROVE BY THE BANK...YEA YOU GOT HPPD OUT THERE STARING INTO SPACE WITH "THE DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS LOOK"....ALSO I MUST SAY THAT IF YOU CANNOT NAB A BLACK DUDE IN A TOWN THAT IS 91.2% WHITE....YOU GOT A PROBLEM.
Greg Thomas
3:32 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I approve this comment, from the safety of my home. I refuse to leave the house today on the account that:
a) I fit the description to a T, except he is darker, but in my experience with the police, we all look alike.
b) I don't like jail, nor do I like being in jail for someone else. I will pass.
c) its only like 13 black people in town, so the odds are not in my favor.
Stu Pidasso
2:41 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
aaaahhh yeaaaaa
TLC
3:19 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Every person that's posted has presented a legit arguement. The bottom line is that as long as the economy is bad, people will take huge risks to survive. There is a part of me that hopes they get away with it. Hey, it is insured.
Steve
5:28 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Well there was a time that every Bank had an onsight Security Gaurd as a show of security. But with budget cutbacks and higher costs of doing business the job of Security Gaurd seems to have been cut to save money. We have automated security now in cameras and alarms. We have cameras at every intersection and cameras in our phones... We have cameras in our laptops and we have cameras in squad cars. And yet with all this surveilance we still have robbers that get away. Two robberies have taken place in Highwood and both times, Highwood police working hand in hand with the surrounding townships have caught their robbers. I guess my question is, why can a town like Highwood that has next to no funds to work with, catch currency exchange and bank robbers, but Highland park with all of their wealth and state of the art equipment, cannot.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
10:42 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Im no expert on this, but it is my understanding that part of the reason banks got rid of security guards was not just $, but a change in philosophy. The new standard approach in banking, and in retail, is let the robbers have what they want, and dont resist. The assumption is this will result in less injuries / violence. The banks dont want shootouts between armed robbers and guards, as bystanders can be hit and then the bank gets hit with a million dollar law suit. In both these cases the robber didn’t even brandish a weapon, just say they had one. I would venture to say they were probably unarmed.
If you want my opinion, I say this new philosophy is bogus. Armed guards were a deterrent to the amateur looking for an easy buck. For the real professional bank robbers willing to take lives, it wouldn’t matter. (Example LA Bank Robbery in the 90s that eventually resulted in cops being armed with much more powerful weapons.) There would be some violent incidents with guards, but the overall crime rate would go down.
Steve
5:29 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
So, ladies and gentlemen, more police will not matter. There are already sufficient amounts of police in town and patrolling the community. Also when something like this happens, municipalities also get the cooperation of Mutual Aid agreements between townships. All of the police departments cooperate to catch these criminals. So again, You don't need more officers, you need to find out why the officers you have are not operating effectively.
And yes, I do believe it is time to quit relying on automated cameras and equipment to do the job of security. I think there should be a uniformed security officer in every bank. They are a show of authority and will make a would be robber think twice. We all know that the policy of all banks is to give the robber what they want. Do not argue or fight with them. It is not worth risking your life for the small amount of money in a teller drawer.
Ed60062
8:56 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
A uniformed security officer in every bank? How about in every convenience store, gas station and every other establishment with cash on hand?
David Greenberg
7:23 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
In certain areas, they do have that. In those areas, they also have the cashiers behind bullet proof glass and have mantraps to enter/exit the facility. However, that kind of setup does not make an inviting ambiance for a customer - the banks have a trade off: Fort Knox v. Inviting to customers, so they take the risk and manage accordingly...
Steve
5:29 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Yes as long as this economy wallows in the dumps like it is now, we will have people taking huge risks to get what they need to survive. And we as citizens need to be on the lookout for this obvious threat. The longer this economy struggles ad the longer good peope are out of work, the more there is a chance of someone getting desperate enough to take a risk and do what they feel they need to do to survive.
So the long and the short is, America needs jobs and we need security. Hire the security gaurds back, How about we take a minor cut in the salaries of the upper level administrators of these huge national banks and give it back to the company to use as salary money for security gaurds. Also, let's wake up and realize it is not just the police's job to catch the criminals, if we are alert and on the ball, perhaps we could have grabbed that camera/phone in our hand or pocket and called 911 with it to get the police to the bank in time to catch this criminal. That teller was obviously to frightened at the moment to risk hitting the alarm button. Be alert America, we have to help ourselves. We have been complacent and lazy for to long expecting others to care for us. We need to take a stand and do more to pitch in for the common good. And here's a wake up call, this action plan is not just limited to bank robberies!
Steve
5:29 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
We need to step up and speak out and get this country back to being what it once was. The best country this world has ever seen. And that reputation was not built on complacency, entitlement and blaming others. We need to take full responsability, and take action ourselves, once that happens the once great nation, has a chance at being just that again.
bgguy
9:15 pm on Thursday, September 22, 2011
Bottom line is that the banks are too cheap to hire the necesary security. They've done the math and determined it's cheaper to be robbed and they don't want to risk the guard causing liability by accidentally hurting a customer. So this is just a bank's cost of doing business. ZZZZZ. Who cares if they get robbed?
Stuart Senescu
11:16 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
PNC has a bank in town? Gee, i didn't know that.
Mara Meyer
12:43 am on Sunday, September 25, 2011
One way to get free advertising!
Stu Pidasso
4:06 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Frank, leave John out of this as far as "Highland Park Police are at the top of the list in terms of quality of service and professionalism!!" which is your opinion, is fine.Opinions are like *** holes, everyone has one. John may not have seen the "greatness " in the police like you may have. That is what makes this country so great!! If one is reduced to writing speeding tickets at 1:30 am in the morning with no other cars around, so be it.
Frank Williams
7:01 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Sorry Stu, didn't mean to insult your boyfriend.
Frank Williams
7:56 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Banks are easy to rob these days. Bank protocol is hand over the money no questions asked. Let the robber leave, lock the bank, tell the manager then call the police. All of that takes time. Does anyone really think this guy left the bank then went window shopping. He pulled the wig off got into a car and was well on his way home before the police were even called. I have a friend that works at Chase in HP. Chase waited a considerable amount time before reporting the robbery to the police. How are the police supposed to catch the robber if the bank waits till the guy is long gone before calling the police. How is that the fault of the police????
Frank Williams
7:58 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
When was the last time you heard of any bank robber being caught immediately following the robbery...? It doesn't happen.
David Greenberg
9:22 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Not to be flip, but I can't see the robber getting into a car in downtown highland park and making a quick getaway. Let's review: 1) Traffic is a nightmare in downtown HP, 2) Drivers are regularly holding up traffic waiting for someone to backup out of a space, 3) Drivers are regularly double-parked letting someone out to run into a nearby shop, 4) Pedestrians regularly play chicken with vehicles all throughout the block and that holds up traffic, 5) Parking is at a premium on the street level, 6) Getting out of the parking garages can be a chore too. What I'd find more believable is that the robber walked off, removed the wig and other clothes and ditched them somewhere. Then either kept walking at a leisurely pace so as not to attract attention, or else ended up at the train station.
John Richards
11:10 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
FRANK I HAVE TO ASK YOU A SERIOUS QUESTION: IF THEY CATCH THIS GUY, DO YOU WANT TO ADOPT HIM AS A SON? MAYBE HE COULD SHARE A ROOM WITH YOUR DAUGHTER AND THEY COULD TAKE TURNS WEARING THE WIG.....YOU KNOW...TO SPICE IT UP.
Stu Pidasso
9:18 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Riiiight, I agree Frank, why then is all of this manpower dispatched to stand in front of the Bank, when the robber is long gone!! A waste of our taxpayers money and Police management that is not being efficient with our dollars!
Frank Williams
12:17 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Really Stu is that what you think.....that isn't what I saw. I saw Highland Park Police along with officers from several other communities set up a perimeter around the business district. The officers that you saw by the bank were there to interview witnesses, process and search for evidence and secure the crime scene. Its annoying reading comments from people like Stu and John who clearly have no clue what they are talking about. If you are going to make comments at least know what you are talking about.
Frank Williams
12:20 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Yet another brilliant comment from John. The Patch really should hire you. Keep up the good work John!!
Stu Pidasso
9:22 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
and I might add, Air One was called in to circle Central Ave. for 30 min or so!!! WHY? Did they bother to stop the trains??? One was northbound at about 8:18 am did they check that out??? We are not dealing with Rhode Scholars here when it comes to Bank Robbery.
Keeper
8:31 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
That have cameras there, I'd say they didn't have to stop the damn trains because they didn't see him get on. Think...
Frank Williams
12:29 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Wow Stu, you have it all figured out..... only problem was he was last seen walking away from the railroad tracks (westbound). If you know so much about law enforcment you should probably apply for the Chief's job. Oh one other thing, have you been to the train station lately? There is camera's everywhere....I'm sure the police thought of that in terms of an escape route. You and John could maybe be consultants for the police. With you and John on the case the criminals wouldn't stand a chance.
Stu Pidasso
9:24 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
David, I agree parking is a nightmare on most days!! I would think the train is way to go and blend in if you may...
Stu Pidasso
7:10 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
the
Steve
9:48 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
rank-
I have heard of Bank Robbers being caught right away. It happeed here in Highwood twice, with a police force that has antiquated equipment, dispatch from lake Forest and shot on manpower. I think it comes down to how hard are you willing to work! Highwood would be considered the Barney Fifs of the North Shore, but they manage t get the job done... So I am afraid your argument does not hold water.
I recently heard a comment from a former City Employee of Highland Park that stated, The HP Police could not catch a cold on a wintery rainy day!
They have the resources and the manpower. What's the excuse!
And yes, they should have thought to stop the trains in both directions as well as monitored cameras on all intersections leaving Highland Park! That is their job! I am not saying this was not done, but it seems the effort was weak.
David Greenberg
1:26 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
I've never found the HP PD to be anything but highly professional regardless of the circumstances. They have a very difficult job and do it well. They don't have a crystal ball so they're not going to be able to catch some criminal immediately every single time.
Cameras are only going to show you what has already happened, if they happen to see it. If you were a bank robber who wanted to avoid detection, you'd wear a disguise into the bank, and strip it off when no one was looking. The wig for instance - all that guy had to do was walk away calmly and no one would notice him, then jog into a doorway for a second or two, remove the wig and put it into that bag he was carrying, and continue walking... Volia! He looks different. Do that again with the large shirt he had on, and he's different yet again. It's not rocket science, just some forethought on the criminal's part, and there's many possibilities that the Police have to look into and investigate because again, they don't have a crystal ball.
As to the other comment that the guy was walking westbound, so he couldn't go on the train - I'd have to ask "What's to stop the guy from heading westbound, then either north or south, and then back east?"
As things go - the perp is a criminal - so if we don't get him right away, he'll likely commit another crime and end up getting caught. But that's still nothing to blame the HP PD on.
Keeper
10:34 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
You really think Highwood does it on their own hu? Your sadly mistaken.
John Richards
12:27 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
YO, TO YOUR COMMENT ABOVE THAT I AM "UNAPPRECIATIVE" OF THE HPPD. WHAT EXACTLY AM I SUPPOSED TO APPRECIATE? THE FACT THAT 3ED SHIFT RECLINES THE SEAT AND SLEEPS WHILE "RUNNING RADAR" ON THE NORTHBOUND 41 ON-RAMP, OR THE FACT THAT THE POLICE DOG RESPONDS TO CIVILIAN COMMANDS....TELL IT TO 'SIT' AND IT WILL. THEY ARE A JOKE.
Steve
11:06 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
No but their track record is much better for rapid response and results.
Frank Williams
12:41 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Steve, do a little research its not hard. Highland Park Police have a pretty go track record in terms of solving serious and minor crimes. Keeper gave a good recent example with the atm skimmers. Those guys were tied to eastern European organized crime. Oh and the guys who robbed the currency exchange in Highwood were caught by.........THE HIGHLAND PARK POLICE! Want a few more examples....the rape at Denny's....offender located and arrested within hours, the murder of the nanny a few years ago.....offender located and arrested within hours, the attempt murder at Solo Cup a few years ago....offender located and arrested within a few hours. This is just a few examples I could give you hundreds more. These men and women do a great job!!
Keeper
11:31 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Really so the the bank skimmers they just caught in the act and the car burglars a week or so ago was just a fluke? gotcha
Steve
12:11 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Look I am not here to get in a pissing match, I just am boggled tht there is no leads or ideas as to who did this and why! And if you read my earlier posts, you will see I do not blame any one entity only, I blame all present, the employees, the bank, the patrons and the police. We have lots of means in which to end this type of activity and i is not getting done.
Frank Williams
1:01 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
The only person to blame here is the guy who went into the bank and told the teller he had a gun. No one got hurt and he got away with a small amount of money. We are not talking about a school shooting here. The police and FBI will investigate the case. Relax everyone, I'm sure the police know more than you think. For obvious reasons they are not going to tell us everything when there is an ongoing investigation.
Stuart Senescu
12:23 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
I believe the robber stole less than $2000. I'd rather have him walking the streets than the SUV-driving-phone-texting-U-turn-into-parking space people driving around HP. If the City has a budget problem all they need to do is have an undercover officer sit in front of Hot Tamales and look at all the cars driving east on Central who make illegal U-turns at the intersection and then drive west on Central. Or have the officer sit in front of OUAB and watch cars going in both directions making similar illegal U turns.
But for now, the discussion on the bank robber has dragged on way too much. I think we need to turn our focus on things like what the heck is going on along Rt 22 from Edens to Ridge Road.
Keeper
1:38 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
steve, all I'm saying is you're talking without having your facts straight.
Stu Pidasso
2:03 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Frank, my bet is that they do not have much to go on!! As time passes on the likelihood of the offender getting caught diminishes. Tell me, when is the last time a Bank Robber was caught in highland Park? one word.... NEVER!!
Keeper
4:08 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Stu you are very wrong. The last bank robber prior to the last two was caught and is already doing federal time. Where do you get your information from?
Frank Williams
2:27 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
You have no idea if they have anything to go on or not. Take a look at the picture of the robbery.....notice anything (probably not)?? Ever heard of fingerprints???? The guy was not wearing gloves and they will be able to see on the cameras what he may have touched. This robbery occurred first thing in the morning that means the bank would be fairly clean for example the doors and counters wiped down by the cleaning crew over night. These types of crimes take time to solve especially when the criminal hides his identity. I will say it again, bank robbers are difficult to catch for a lot of reasons....that doesn't mean the police are incompetent. By the way, the FBI investigates all bank robberies in addition to local law enforcement. Stu, why do you hate the police so much?? These people dedicate their lives to serving the community. No body gets rich being a cop. While you are at home with your family on weekends and holidays and at night.....these folks are doing their best to protect you 24/7/365. Cops statistically, live shorter lives, have higher rates of divorce and higher rates of suicide than the general public. I am not saying everyone should run up and hug a cop, but if you are a regular law abiding citizen you should have a little respect for those who protect us.
Stu Pidasso
2:32 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Frank, no hate here, just reality.I know alot of cops that are incompetent, maybe you never have met any. They chose their profession for one reason or another... No one forced them to take the job.Respect is given when respect is earned.Simple
Frank Williams
2:48 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Sounds like hate to me......what's your next comment going to be....do you think all black people are criminals because this bank robber was black? You sound like an extremely ignorant individual. Of course there are incompetent cops...there are also incompetent doctors, lawyers, bankers, garbage men, firemen, ceo's, teachers...etc. Most police officers are good people who care. What happen to you that caused you to have such a unfavorable opinion of police officers?
Stu Pidasso
2:56 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Frank, or(whoever you are, no Frank Williams in HP) you sound like you're the ignorant one!! We have alot of Sheeple around here that cannot think for themselves, or are oblivious as to what goes on around them. If you only knew....you would be surprised!!
Ed Brill
3:20 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Easy there fella - there's no Pidasso family in Highland Park, either. And pretty much everyone here has figured out by now that pronouncing your screen name out loud makes it sound kinda like a pseudonym.... both of you have made good points in this thread, whomever you are.
Stu Pidasso
3:32 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Ed, I Sincerely thank you for the comment. I respect your postings in the past, and feel that you are an asset to our community. I feel you hit things head on without all of the peripheral BS and I respect that. Have a great weekend!
Frank Williams
3:36 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Not that it is any of your business, but that is my name and I have lived in HP on St. Johns Ave. for over 15 years. I have lived in several other cities as well. Just because you didn't find me on the internet doesn't mean s**t. You didn't answer my question Stu....what caused you to hate the police so much?
Keeper
4:16 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
What scares me more than bank robbers is people like Stu who choose to spread I'll words claiming to know all. Scarier yet when people like that come together and pretend to have a voice. You really need to do more research and stop sounding like you know it all because we know you don't. It just sounds ignorant. Your opinion or not.
Stu Pidasso
4:26 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Keeper, --- as I have said earlier..which is your opinion, is fine.Opinions are like *** holes, everyone has one.
Stu Pidasso
4:32 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Frank, just because they wear a badge,does not make them high and mighty!! I cannot discuss in a public forum my experiences. If you were to find out... you would understand...I will leave it at that and move on. I don't hate, it is a waste of time, until we walk in someone elses shoes and see what makes them behave the way they do. I feel sorry for people who are like that(dysfunctional). Thank You.
Frank Williams
4:41 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
There you go again with your stereotyping. All cops do not think they are high and mighty. You obviously have had some bad experiences which tells me you MAY not be a law abiding citizen. Which would explain your general attitude towards cops
Frank Williams
4:34 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Stu, you are right about opinions. But the problem is you have made statements that you claimed are facts and they are not. Keeper called you out. You obviously have internet access so get your facts right then argue your position (it is much more effective that way). Your arguments lack intelligence. And calling me out when you are using an alias is a good example.
John Richards
7:58 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
Everytime I read one of Franks comments I smell bacon....its weird.
Stuart Senescu
6:35 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011
when i walk in someone else's shoes, I have their shoes and i'm further away so they can't run up and get them back.
Stu Pidasso
1:10 am on Sunday, September 25, 2011
Stuart, you should tryout for Comedy Central! Ithink you would be a hit!! NOT
Sad
7:32 pm on Sunday, September 25, 2011
honestly grow up all of you
Stu Pidasso
7:02 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
Curious, what was the response time to the alarm at the bank?Seriously I had heard 4-5 minutes.
Is this a direct connect or third party alarm line? Along time to repond to a hold up alarm if true. Any feedback would be nice
David Greenberg
8:49 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
I guess that the response time would be a factor of where a Police officer happens to be when the call comes in. If its a direct connect, it shows up on the board at the Police station, if it's a 3rd party, then the call has to come into the 3rd party - figure 30sec - 1 min for the communicator to transmit, 15 sec for the system to process, 15-30 sec for an operator to call and communicate with the Police dispatcher, then time for the local officer to get over to the bank. So figure 2 minutes just for the Dispatcher to be notified - in a best case scenario. In some instances, the timeline could be lengthened because of issues at the 3rd party processing station, or issues in progress that the Dispatcher/911 people are dealing with.
Maybe you had a 3 minute response - if the cop came from the station on Deerfield Road - then that's pretty fast. The Officers in that sub-station drive those mini's mainly for parking control, I wouldn't expect them to use that car to chase anyone down. Not that an officer couldn't walk over there, but still - when you hear bank robbery, you don't necessarily want to go running head-strong into the situation, so even if you do come over, you're going to take a round-about way just in case the crook has a gun. Besides the cop potentially getting shot at, you could have innocent civilians getting grabbed (read: hostage situation), or accidentally shot in the cross-fire... So 4-5 minutes doesn't seem too long or out of the ordinary to me...
Stu Pidasso
7:09 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
Curious, what was the response time to the hold up alarm?, I have heard it was 4-5 minutes. If so, that is a long time for a hold up alarm. I was under the impression that the banks have a direct connect to the alarm panel at the station. I would like some stats on this, as I would think the response time should be quicker knowing we have a police substation across the street at Port Clinton!
Stu Pidasso
7:13 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
I also heard the teller tripped the alarm while the robber was in the bank! He then exited the bank on the North side and proceeded to walk slowly westbound on Central ave.! Unbelievable, Is there any chance he was wearing a Silicone mask (VERY LIFELIKE) and removed it quickly once out of the banks view? just a thought
David Greenberg
8:54 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
When you get right down to it - it might not have even been a black guy. Someone with the right kind of mask could also wear gloves to give that impression. Still, from what I understand, those masks are quite expensive and specialized to make. From what we've heard, about $2K was stolen, so I doubt it'd even cover the cost of the mask!
What's more likely is that the person removed the wig and shirt after being out of view - stuff it into that little bowling bag he had and no one would notice anything especially if he walked away calmly. How many times during the day do you see someone calmly walking along and take any notice of it? Contrast that with someone running full-tilt - now that catches your attention. If the guy planned this well (and it would seem that he did) - he likely had his exit strategy mapped out. Chances are he'll open his mouth and someone will report him, or he'll hit another location and get caught. Except for the D.B. Cooper's of the world, these guys always get caught eventually...
No one got hurt, that's the most important thing.
John Richards
1:32 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
THIS WILL BE MY LAST COMMENT: POLICE DO NOT CARRY A SERVICE WEAPON TO PROTECT YOU...THEY CARRY ONE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. PEOPLE ASK ME "WHY DO YOU OWN A FIREARM AND KEEP IT AT THE READY?" I RESPOND TO THEM "BECAUSE WHEN SECONDS COUNT...THE POLICE ARE JUST MINUTES AWAY" A 5 MIN RESPONSE TIME....WELL IT MIGHT AS WELL BE 5 HOURS BECAUSE IF YOU ARE IN A HOME DEFENSE POSITION YOU ARE DEAD MEAT IN 5 MINUTES. PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION: YOU CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT RELY ON HPPD.
Stu Pidasso
12:30 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
John, I have to agree with you, " when seconds count,the police are minutes away" I would hope that it would never come down to that, though one has to be ready to respond quickly and effectively. As our economic condtion seems to deteriorate by the week, we need to be ready to counteract more people taking desperate chances like robbery and burglarizing homes. Do you really think that most criminals are going to be unarmed if they are breaking into someones home in the middle of the night. People, lets take our heads out of the sand and take a hard look at reality.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
3:27 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
I disagree with most everything you have posted in this thread but on this point I am in complete agreement. I take responsibility for my own family's protection, and am well trained and equipped to deal with such a situation should the need arise. I learned the hard way that this is required, even with the excellent police services we have on the North Shore. 5-10 min response time is a long time in a life and death situation. When I lived in the city it was more like 20 mins. I recommend that citizens who feel that they can handle the responsibility are prepared to defend themselves.
Stu Pidasso
3:58 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Ronnie, Thank you. My thoughts exactly on being prepared to defend oneself if the situation evere arises. Excellent post. Have a great day! Rodney
Keeper
10:41 am on Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I would have to agree with the self protection statements. Being prepared during any emergency is vital. Although it doesn't always ensure a positive outcome it certainly shifts the advantage. Proper training and proficiency with the weapon of choice is essential. Educating yourself on the law and understanding when to use it can make all the difference. In time Illinois will become a conceal carry state but I believe it will take time and a brave person in office. As mentioned by others, I rarely agree with Stu's comments and opinions but in this case I would.
Stu Pidasso
12:49 pm on Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Keeper, Thank you! I am not here to pull anyones nose hairs, but I do believe in being trained and prepared. Have a great day!
Keeper
6:16 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011
Oh good, cause I like my nose hairs right where they are...
Stuart Senescu
1:28 pm on Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I have a spring gun so i don't even have to be home.
Keeper
5:07 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
Rumor has it this robber was identified and arrested. Funny it didn't make any news.
Stuart Senescu
5:25 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
and your source is whom? Maybe rumors are not news. That's why we try to have a presumption of innocence. Rumor has it you shot an elephant in your pajamas last night; what it was doing in your pajamas is unknown to Highland Park police at this time.
Keeper
5:42 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
Point well taken...