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Subscribe to RSSIn downtown Los Angeles, police chased four suspected bank robbers in a pursuit that ended with the suspects tossing money out the window. The lure of money caused people to line the streets looking for cash, creating an obstacle for police. NBC's Natalie Morales reports.
Hundreds of people swarmed the streets in South Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon when suspected bank robbers led police on a pursuit while tossing wads of cash out the window of their getaway car.
"There were mothers leaving their kids and they were just grabbing the money, and there was just money in the air," said resident Sal Reyes. "It was just everywhere."
Many in the crowd took it as an opportunity to scoop up the loose bills, but Reyes says he was compelled to return the money he found.
He said he picked up the cash without initially knowing why it was on the ground. Someone explained to him that it was money from a bank robbery.
Read the original report | More from NBCLosAngeles
Several residents described the alleged robbers as modern-day Robin Hood figures, taking from the rich to give to those in one of the area's less affluent neighborhoods. But there’s no indication that was the intent when three men in ski masks allegedly robbed a Santa Clarita Bank of America. A fourth man was in the getaway car.
Reyes said he had to return the loot.
"You have to give it back. You can’t just go spend money that’s not yours," he said.
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Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with crowds chanting, "We want money," and some gatherers dodging squad cars and climbing over vehicles caught in the melee.
"Everybody was just grabbing whatever they could," Reyes said.
View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.
Police on Wednesday urged the public to return any bills they found, emphasizing that receiving stolen property can be considered a crime in itself.
But officials say the smaller bills – those in denominations of one, five, 10 and even 20 – will likely go unnoticed and the bank’s insurance will pick up the tab.
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Police did not disclose the amount of money taken from the bank.
All four suspects have been arrested, including two who had bailed out of the getaway car.
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That is great. Now lets see how many other fine upstanding citizens return the money. They probably have videos of the ones that try to keep the stolen money.
Robin Hood? That's how these people thimk.
They already get stolen money from the producers, by way of welfare checks, and the such
There is no way in hell I would return that money. I would have grabbed as much as I possibly could and stashed it away as quickly as I could. If the cops came to my house and asked for it back then I would turn it over. But otherwise I would consider it payback from BofA after they have robbed all their customers and the american tax payers all these years.
I applaud the bank robbers for giving back to the community. They are very civic minded young men and a true asset to the community.
And the ones in the video were all ?????, the man who gave it back was Reyes. Nothing new and the other ????? lady on TV said she wuz watchin de Pole-ICe so dez would not hurts de brofer robber??
Please, how pathetic can this country get? A+ to you Mr Reyes, you show decency........
I'm sure Mr. Reyes kept the large bills and turned over the small ones.
Why return it? @!$%# that! The money is covered by insurance anyways. You really think they are going to count the (maybe) $600 you could grab off the street. "Looks like we had $50,000 stolen, oh wait, says here $600 was returned...." When the bank gives me part of the profit they earn from investing MY money, then maybe ill change my mindset....
Well lets see my kids are starving winter is coming higher bills bank is chargeing me stupid amounts of money for my house my company that I work for after 20yrs of service cut my pay in half and all my insurance rates are all so high money isn't growing on trees these days...So what would I do !
How do you justify keeping anything that does not belong to you that the owner wants back? ... think about it the next time you lose your wallet or credit card... that's one of the problems with the world, people rationalize hate theft vandalism, and crimes of all types... rationalized theft is still Theft, rationalized Hate is still Hate... rationalized violence is still you guessed WRONG
for all the pepole who said they would turn the money back in try living in that area for a year were there is no help are future for those pepole i heard 1 guy say that this is the most police they have seen in that area at 1 time in years explain that and for the guy that said tell jessie jackson to tell his pepole to give the money back your a racist idoit
Of course two wrongs don't make a right, but considering how the Banks of this country have stolen from and abused the people of America, I would say that some basic payback is in order. The Banks have lied, swindled, cheated, and stolen from the American people. With full Govt approval I might add. So no, I won't be shedding tears or losing sleep tonight for the bank...
Benson, you said it all. I could not of penned it better. AND yes, I agree with your post.
Sad to watch all those FOOLS hoping "forr da free payda" If you saw the end as it it happend more "OF DEM FOOLS WAS IN DA STREET" when the stop occuried and the PERPS was armed!!!!! IF ANY OF DEM GETS SHOTS ITS DA COPS FUALT" WE STUPID AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( near riot if you watched) roaches rushing the crumbs as the lights go out!! THANKS AL AND JESSE "U BE`S DA BEST" (god bless our law enforcers!!!!! white ones too.)
I go over to the Cayman Islands and take all of Bain Capitals money. I fly a plane over Staples in the Hood and drop the money as 2 Navy jets chase me down. Hopefully all the poor people will get "trickle down money" that was suppose to be invested.
This will be my Robin Hood dream come true.
Benson: You are right about two wrongs do not make a right, but rationalizing about the bank and how it has been treating customers has nothing to do with the crime. Stolen money not returned is stolen money regardless of what you believe about the bank. Apples and oranges comes to mind.
"Several residents described the alleged robbers as modern-day Robin Hood figures, taking from the rich to give to those in one of the area's less affluent neighborhoods"
The bank robbers must be Democrats...
If these were Republican Bank robbers, they would have tossed the money in a rich neighborhood...after taking 99% profits and tossing out less than 13% tax to the chasing feds (the cops)...
The way I see it is: if I were to run into the street and take it, I might as well have been a part of the robbery itself. It's as simple as that.
Doc,
Actually, republicans work for their money. Can say the same for these robbers. And the rich dont take 99% of the profits, good try.
If these were real democrats though, they would keep around 30% as an administrative fee.
Illegal aliens steal from the American people every day.
Ask yourself this question (and be honest) "Am I a thief"? If you answered "Yes" then case closed.
If you answered "no", then either the bank would get back the money you picked up or...you are a liar.
Would I return the money from a bank robbery? Depends on the bank. BOA? Heck no!!! A smaller community bank or credit union, absolutely!
So, in other words, your criteria for whether or not to be a thief include the wealth and honesty of the victim?
Sounds like a good enough criteria too me.
Funny, because BOA has insurance, so the insurance companies will loose the money, so they will charge the next guy more. Gotta love not thinking things through.
Neek, you already steal from the rich. They pay 50% of the taxes.
Sucker
The money was stolen and not theirs to keep. They can try to convince themselves that the robbers were a modern day robin hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor but the money was not theirs to give. If you keep the money you are just as guilty and criminal as the robbers themselves. Just an FYI... Even tho robin hood stole from the rich to give to the poor he was a criminal as well regardless of his intentions. If you want or need more $$ then work more... plain, simple & honest.
If I just found 10 or 20 bucks then I probably wouldn't return it but my conscience wouldn't let me keep a large sum of money knowing where it came from. That money belongs to someone in that bank and my mama raised me better than to steal.
Correction: your mama raised you better than to steal more than 10 or 20 bucks. I would say you're still a thief, just one that lacks vision or ambition.
right on Bill, that's why politicians give in to million dollars "bribes". 20 bucks, ok. millions of dollars now that business!
denver bill:: Correction-- tuffigirl's mother raised her to be a decent citizen. I guess you are a thief.
I found a $5.00 bill one time hanging on a barbed-wire fence. It was so weather-beaten that I had to study it carefully to see for sure that it was paper money and not a piece of junk paper that had blown up onto the fence. I turned it over to my dog, as it was because of her that we had to get out of the car and she chose the right spot. It was still accepted at the bank. But since it was so old, weather beaten, in an area where there were no homes close by there was no way I would have found out from whence it came in the first place.
That's my $5.00, with interest I suspect you owe $20.00 pay up Susie. /sarc/
I know logic isn't your strong suit, based on your non sequitur above. However, if you read her post even you must admit that if (1) her mother raised her to be a decent citizen, and (2) she admits that she will steal amounts less than $20, then the obvious conclusion is that her mother's teachings didn't fully take hold.
They looked like scavenging animals. I cannot begin to understand how a race of people who had to overcome so much could let themselves sink so low. I was so encouraged when I read the headline; that it was a blue-eyed white guy makes me feel sad.
Maybe because many have not overcome so much. Many are still reeling from the effects of Jim Crow, CIA induced crack-cocaine infiltration in their neighborhoods, racial discrimination (see story about hospital employees seeing effigy), and trying to play catch up from being 200 years behind. Try understanding that first and view their actions through that prism or walk in their shoes first.
Scavenging animals? So if their actions can be attributed to their entire race, then what does that make you and yours?
Saying dumb sh*t is one thing, typing it is another. Plus, the countdown clock to edit a post....Wow
@machs.....: yea overcome and our president is??? the crutch will be used till the end of the world..... were holding them back....... look at any NFL team....... These things are just LAZY and procreate mo lazy generation after gen........................................................................ some will get some will NEVER...............
JustMe,
Why were the Japanese able to overcome the internment camps and racial profilings and attacks against them. Maybe once you stop playing the victim all the time and think that the mystical man is keeping you down, you can focus on bettering yourself and your family.
I attribute their actions to every single one filmed in that neighborhood on that day while behaving like scavenging animals. They were cheering for bank robbers, and some clearly tried to get in the way of police cars. (But if those bank robbers had panicked and shot up their neighborhood? "Where are the police when we need them?") It was a disgrace, and if their mothers aren't ashamed of them, then shame on their mothers.
If it had been toothless ignorant rednecks "deep up in the hills and hollers" who were cheering on bank robbers in their good ole boy pick-em-up truck, I'd be every bit as disgusted.
But I wouldn't blame their entire race, either. Hell, I wouldn't even blame all southern folks.
Oops...timed out before I could add that I would not, of course, keep the money. I found a $5 bill once, and worried for a week that the owner might have needed it.
What happened after the week went by? Oops, my 5 bucks now!
I spent it charitably. (Chippendale dancers have to eat, too, you know.)
i found a 20$ played a scratch ticket, won 100$ it was meant to be.
was on route 80 in jersey a couple saturdays ago in the right lane when i see this flash of debris, i looked to the center lane and saw somthing that i swore to my nephew was cash.(not kidding) i hit the sholder and checked the mirrior and everything was in the left lane except 1 which was headed to the shoulder where we were, (nephew called me a liar) looked behind and around the truck and found a 5 next to the truck! so we cross the to the medien and found four more 5 dollar bills!!!! speeds were to fast to find that person who lost it!!! looked like 10 to 15 bills in the air so some of its still there!!!!!
muddlerfly: Wait, let me get this straight. You risked your life and your nephew's life to pick up a few five dollar bills? Oh the things that money will make people do!
Sometimes if you want to find out whether those bills are 5 spots or C notes, you might have to dodge a little traffic! Sounds like a $25 adventure!
I would like to believe that I would return the money. I have always done that in the past when it came to "found" money." But, if a million $ falls off the back of an armored car or something, I don't think I am that strong. I will do my best to feel guilty while relaxing on the beach.
I think you would do the right thing. I've read some posts here where people try to justify keeping the money by rationalizing that banks are run by crooks anyway, so it's all right to take their money. It's easy to rationalize bad/illegal behavior. But some of us (and I'd like to think you're one of them), are guided by higher princicples and always do the right thing.
People who have excuses why they would take the money are not being honest with themselves, greed has many excuses and anyone who keeps that money should be ashamed of themselves.
Let me see, the banking system and brokers robbed us of equity in our homes and corporate america took of our retirement money that we had saved for years, politicians take bribes every day from lobbyist and you ask me if I would keep the money? Hmmmm, let me think for a minute.
Hmmmm .... let me think for a minute. That would be justifying a bad act by pointing to a worse act. Regardless, it would still be a bad act.
I am more than happy to be ashamed of myself. I would keep every piece of currency that my hands could hang on to. I LOVE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MONEY IS KOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at least your honest.(about keeping the money).
The banks and the government print millions every minute. They create BILLIONS with a push of the button. They devalue the very currency in your bank account and DON"T care. I'd keep the money. After all it's just me getting paid to pick up litter on the street.
Glad there is at LEAST one honest person in the "community"!!!!
My conscience would not allow me to keep something that didn't belong to me. Last week when I was coming out of my credit union I found some money on the steps; a $5 bill wrapped around two ones. I went back inside and told them I had found it just outside.
"modern day Robin Hoods"?
Are you @!$%#ting me? they stole money by means of intimidation, be it a gun , bomb, threats of one or both, whatever. then created near riot conditions, to facilitate their high speed getaway, endangering everyone they came in contact with in every aspect.
thease are not people to be glamerised.
as far as returning the money? people risked their lives in the mad dash for cash including abandoning their children to do so. Is the local P.D. so stupid they .believe these very same people will just turn over the money?
Bur Kudos to Mr.Sal Reyes, The only one with scruples. May he have good karma the rest of his days.
Just goes to show you where in America peoples Hearts are Wherever the Money is Greedy Bastards.
Lets see, Hmmmmm, after running like a mad man and grabbing as much as I could I would pause for a reflective moment and think how much wall street and shareholders returned to the middle class....OH YEA Steak and lobster tonight!
What do the shareholders have to do with it? Shareholders are honest people making honest investments...People like Union workers investing in their retirement and such...(for the most part)
Boy, the Democratic party has really mind F**ked you ....
I listened to the aunt of one of the robbers who stated "they are poor and need help financially." Let's remember, they are the one's that burned down part of their city in 1992. Look at Garden Grove with the Vietnamese community they come to the U.S. without any money and you don't see them robbing banks instead they educate themselves and work. If the robbers and their families are so broke, eat less and get rid of your cell phones!!!!
Lets also include shut your legs and wrap your penis. More mouths to feed and cloth cost money.
As that one congressperson said, put an aspirin between your legs and keep it there. I had heard that one long ago-- bet longer ago that he had heard of it.
I do not understand your point, becasue most of the bank robeers in America are white, look it up. So what is there reason , I guess it is that they stole a whole country, so what the hell?
@ SUSIE-.... HOW LONG ?
I would not have even picked it up It's not mine. So yes, I would return it
Many have forgotten that true happiness and success comes from intrinsic value for
ourselves for others, and the world around us, not the acquisition of extrinsic
paraphernalia
Sure ya would Steve...
Yup and when u see a COUPLE 50'S NEXT TO UR CAR WHEN U PARK..U JUST LEAVE IT THERE...SURE YA DO..!
BS BS BS BS
Stevo 14: You're right, I think Steve would do what I would do and not leave it, in the example you stated. More like pick it up, take it inside and leave it with the place you parked in front of - in the hopes the person who lost it would come looking for it.
This is what is wrong with this country. Somehow, we have raised several generations of people (of all races, colors and creeds) who think that somebody owes them something, anything! Gone are the days of hard work, saving, NOT keeping up with the Jones. Also gone are the days of personal responsibility. I
When we don't like what is around us, we try to peacefully make changes. We don't bomb or STEAL to make our beliefs more valid. Wrong is wrong. And stealing is WRONG! If you didn't earn the money and it didn't come to you in your paycheck, aid check or at the gambling table, THEN THE MONEY IS NOT YOURS!
Frustrated-2987565. Well said I totally agree with you.
So well said and so true
I would keep it just because banks are now scummy. Banks don't care about us so why care if they get their cash back. I'm generally honest but I would take the karma hit in this case.
I would return it to Bank of America, with the exception that I would deposit it into MY NEW ACCOUNT !