BAnk Teller Fired for Catching a Robber

Dr. Cheese · #1 08-03-2009, 11:01 AM

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1109451

I can understand why the bank discourages what he did, but I have mixed feelings about dismissing him.

kanonfodr · #2 08-03-2009, 11:07 AM

Can somebody sum this up for the bandwidth-limited (me)? Did he shoot the dude or something?

Either way, if I had been his manager and no laws were broken, I would have given him a raise. Kinda like the guy in Houston a few years back who shot some guys who were robbing his neighbor, he did the right thing. No good deed goes unpunished, these days.

Peace,
Greg

Beta · #3 08-03-2009, 11:13 AM

I'm going to take a guess and say that the bank likely has a policy that its tellers, etc. are to just hand over the money and not confront robbers, and he was fired for violating it.

PDavyduck · #4 08-03-2009, 11:16 AM

by confronting the robber he endangered everyone else in the bank. had the robber been more 'prepared' and malicious it could have turned nasty real quick, ie. shots fired/hostages situation/etc.

middlebit · #5 08-03-2009, 11:18 AM

The bank is insured. Why risk your own and other's lives to stop a robber?

i_got_a_mohawk · #6 08-03-2009, 11:18 AM

It may seem harsh. But it makes sense.

If he got away with it, more people might try and have a go at the hero complex, with a high chance of them or someone else getting killed!

Jared Lash · #7 08-03-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta

I'm going to take a guess and say that the bank likely has a policy that its tellers, etc. are to just hand over the money and not confront robbers, and he was fired for violating it.

They say that explicitly in the video.

That said, I'm surprised they fired him rather than the reprimand he said he expected only because the bank had to know that this story would make it to the media. Unless he already had reprimands on his record, I'm guessing keeping him on staff would have been better than the negative press they'll get for this.

FWIW, almost all businesses say the same thing - If someone robs you, let them go and have the authorities deal with it. That's much preferred over having an employee or customers injured or killed.

When I was a young kid my dad was a grocery store manager and I recall him getting in trouble for chasing and tackling a shoplifter who stole batteries. Even back then (20+ years ago) the idea was that it just wasn't worth it to possibly escalate the situation.

MonetBass · #8 08-03-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta

I'm going to take a guess and say that the bank likely has a policy that its tellers, etc. are to just hand over the money and not confront robbers, and he was fired for violating it.

Most retail establishments have the same policy. But firing him for it? That's just bad PR for the bank if you asked me.

EDIT: Jared beat me to it.

MJ5150 · #9 08-03-2009, 11:34 AM

A guy I went to school with was terminated from his cashier job at a local grocery store years ago for chasing down someone who was shoplifting. They said he violated a very strict and clearly defined company policy not to pursue or apprehend shoplifters. Too much liability for the company, which is why the policy was in place.

Bummer deal, but this person knew the rules. Instinct can not take over all the time.

-Mike

woffle · #10 08-03-2009, 11:41 AM

Why get shot up for some one elses cash.
Hey dude take it all,stay cool and just leave.That would be the best motto.jmo
Woffle

madbassplaya · #11 08-03-2009, 01:21 PM

i respect the guy though. he stood up for what was right. chances are if he would have let him get away with the money, the guy would keep doing what he was doing. he might have possibly bought a weapon on the street and then really did some damage.

i can't say i would've done anything differently...

playinpearls · #12 08-04-2009, 08:34 AM

i believe this refers to this:

Are american men being feminized?

kanonfodr · #13 08-04-2009, 10:58 AM

I'm not gonna get political and talk about 2nd Amendment rights, concealed carry, or anything like that, but wow.

All I will say is that an armed society is a polite society. Take it from the guy surrounded by about 900 folks all who have easy access to deadly force and I sleep pretty well at night.

Peace,
Greg

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #14 08-04-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanonfodr

Can somebody sum this up for the bandwidth-limited (me)? Did he shoot the dude or something?

Either way, if I had been his manager and no laws were broken, I would have given him a raise. Kinda like the guy in Houston a few years back who shot some guys who were robbing his neighbor, he did the right thing. No good deed goes unpunished, these days.

Peace,
Greg

The guy in Texas did a number of things wrong, like vocally premeditate shooting them while they were on someone else's property to a 911 operator who repeatedly told him not to, then shot them in the back. Check out this thread for all the super-happy fun on it:
http://talkbass.com/forum/showthread...ghlight=police

The bank's policy is right-on. If their policy was not in place and the teller had been injured/killed by the robber, then the teller or his family could hold the bank responsible for far more than what the robber took. It's not like it's an unknown policy either- any retail job I know of says you don't chase the robber once their out of the store.

LilRay · #15 08-04-2009, 04:12 PM

I understand the tellers instinct. But life isn't worth $. And he took that chance with lots of lives not just his. Getting fired is debateable. But that was pretty irresponsible behavior.

God Bless, Ray

Sartori · #16 08-04-2009, 04:54 PM

Maybe there would be less robbery if robbers had to worry about their victims possibly rising up against them instead of being cowed and docile. More dangerous for the victims in that situation? Yeah, probably. But at the same time I think more people are willing to threaten to use force than are actually willing to use it, counting on the fact that nobody will make a move against them.

cassanova · #17 08-04-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Bummer deal, but this person knew the rules. Instinct can not take over all the time.

-Mike

Sorry, but those rules change the minute I feel my life is in danger. No company policy is going to dictate to me how to act when put in a potentially life threatening situation.

I think the teller went wrong was chasing him after he left the bank.

MJ5150 · #18 08-05-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

Sorry, but those rules change the minute I feel my life is in danger. No company policy is going to dictate to me how to act when put in a potentially life threatening situation.

I think the teller went wrong was chasing him after he left the bank.

OK, what would you have done then? The policy states let the person leave with the money. The guy said he ignored company policy and let instinct take over to chase down the robber.

You say you wouldn't chase him, so what are you apologizing for? Do we disagree somewhere? It seems like this company policy is in place to protect employees.

-Mike

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #19 08-05-2009, 10:05 AM

And to protect their own company- if a bystander gets shot when the employee tries to get the money from the thief, then the company will be held partly responsible.

Webtroll · #20 08-05-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

I'm surprised they fired him rather than the reprimand he said he expected only because the bank had to know that this story would make it to the media.

This is probably the main reason why he wasn't reprimanded. If they hadn't fired him it would possibly look like they aren't going to backup their policy.