"I always knew that Salisbury was becoming a dangerous place, but tonight it finally hit home. Tonight around 9:30-9:45pm, my mom drove up to the Bank of America ATM on Rt 50 to make a deposit. Apparently when she was about half way through her transaction, someone approached her vehicle out of nowhere and robbed her.
For those people that are not familiar with that bank, there is a large brick pillar that blocks your view behind the bank when you've pulled up to the ATM. The thief must've been hiding behind the bank or the pillar and when she pulled up, he must've come from behind and approached her vehicle from between the pillar and the ATM machine. He was holding what was probably a lead pipe that he was trying to make look like a rifle or shotgun of some sort. The way my mom described it, she said it was silvery and the diameter of it probably makes it too large to be a pistol. It could've been a gun, but likely was a lead pipe or something similar (still a weapon if you ask me).
Anyway, she was so frightened that she couldn't even complete her transaction, so the thief proceeded to work the ATM and withdrew $200 from her account. Once the money came out of the machine, he grabbed it and ran. He jumped over the fence that separates the Bank of America parking lot with the townhouse neighborhood that's right there. Fortunately my mom was not hurt and the thief didn't take her debit card. She pulled ahead and then called the cops and had a police report filed.
The thief was an African-American male wearing a black ski mask, black sweatshirt, and black sweatpants. She said he also appeared to be wearing gloves. Unfortunately, because it happened so fast, she wasn't able to make out any distinguishing features or details, so chances are the guy will never be caught; but we can at least inform people to be especially careful at this and other ATM's after-hours and at night. The guy clearly knew what he was doing since he was able to approach the vehicle without being noticed and he worked the ATM very quickly--chances are this isn't the first time he's done this.
If you could post this so we can get the word out to people to be especially careful at the Bank of America drive-up ATM on Rt. 50--there is especially bad visibility there and plenty of places for someone to hide and sneak up to your vehicle un-noticed. For that matter, be careful at any ATM after-hours or at night, especially in an empty parking lot. I feel fortunate that, aside from being really shaken up, my mom was not hurt, but someone else may not be so lucky.
Thanks,
Concerned Citizen"
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
21 comments:
Once again the word prevention comes to mind....night time deposits sre a no-no in high crime suburbia
Did he have a hood? Seems like all I ever see anymore around Salisbury are these guys with their "hoods" on. I was shopping this weekend at the Mall up north and there was a small group with hoods on - inside the mall where it probably was 75 degrees!
I am VERY cautious anymore coming out of my office after 5PM as there is a bank/ATM machine next door and it is frightening to always wonder who is "lurking" in the parking lot?
I'm am not in anyway say that your Mom is at fault. We should be able to go to the ATM anytime of the day or night,however...How many times has this happened in the last couple of months? After dark it just the wrong time to go. I am glad that you Mom was not hurt.
We need to kick out some more money for the police force, so they can increase patrols and add more men/women if necessary.
I don't care if we raise taxes over it. We need to be safe in our own town. It's only going to get worse with time. Whatever happened to morals?
I use that ATM all the time and it has always creeped me out. I have often thought about being robbed there. So sorry to hear it actually happened.
I will definately be more careful when using it in the future.
One thing my home office tells us to do when dropping off deposits is to drive around the bank first before making our nightly deposits. Noe I guess I'm convinced. I will certainly do that from now on, or have the deposits madse in the morning.
WaWa has indoor ATMs that doesn't charge any fees, but your bank may charge you a fee. I'd be more careful about any ATM at night, no matter where it is, though.
I went to a national crime watch web site called Crime Watch. These are numbers from 2006 and I think we all know things are worse now.
I typed in the zip code and Salisbury came in #12 in violent crimes in 2006 for rated population. Second most dangerous city in Maryland, I just wonder what up-to-date numbers are?
Joe, you should be happy to know that less than thirty minutes ago a particular patrol Captain was yelling at staff today at the SPD about this story being posted on your blog before the press release! Keep up the good work and hopefully Salisbury will be better off when the NEW administration can stop worrying about small matters and focus on improving morale of the SPD officers so they can better protect our city.
Anon 8:03 AM, the SPD needs more officers but you have to keep the ones you have. As soon as they get some experience they are leaving - and not necessarily for more money. Once the trained leave they have to start all over again with new inexperienced officers. How can you expect officers to do proactive work like checking banks at night when officers are required to write citations or face being placed in the monthly “worst officer list?” The officers are over worked and treated like crap regularly by patrol administration. It’s time to clean house and get a respectable command staff. A police agency is only as good as its leaders. If you don’t believe me start talking to the officers who work the street.
I can use my debit card as credit anywhere and there are no fee's. No ATM's after dark. I did go one night and there was an older black gentlemen having a problem, his wife got out of the vehicle to help him and I pulled up and parked right there until they were finished.
I did make them aware I was just keeping and eye out for them and had my hibeams on. I'm afraid after dark myself. In the spirit of Christmas they appreciated that very much, we should all help keep an eye out for each other when ever we can.
OMG!!!! i almost went there last night around that time. i rode up to the bank and saw someone walking near the fence around 1015 or so...i rode around and then realized it was a cop...i thought it was weird he appeared to be looking for someone with his flashlight and there was another cop across the street looking in a pickup that was parked in the kmart parking lot!!!
we went down to the exxon and decided to go back that way because we didnt want the bank fees luckily...as we were going past the bank the had the exit blocked and a guy which looked like he was dress in all black and a hat with his hands on the hood!!! hopefully that was him.
my heart goes out to your mother beacause a good friend of mine was one of the first people robbed at an ATM. i saw how devastated she was and is still shaken up about it!! All i can say is EVERYONE BE CAREFUL!! coming close to that situation i cant imagine if it had been me.
After dark is definately not the time to go, my mom certainly won't be going to another ATM after hours, unless its inside in a public place with lots of people. Even though she's usually very cautious/careful about going to an ATM at any time of day, I think she may have had a false sense of security since it was a drive-up ATM and not one you had to walk to. What's bad too is that not even 2 minutes after it happened, another car pulled up to use the same ATM and another car behind that--so had it not been her, it would've been one of the people in those cars.
Anon 7:48, she didn't mention anything about a hood--she said it was a sweatshirt, but it could've been a hoodie--if it was, he didn't have it over his head at the time.
Grannydragon, I like the idea of driving around the bank before using the ATM--I think i'm going to start doing that myself.
OK, here's my opinion on this issue. First of all, you shouldn't go to one of these after dark, that's obvious.
However, there should be a code set as to the lighting around ANY ATM Machine, anywhere. It should be light up like the Shorebirds Stadium, not literally butu you get my drift.
My next through is, where's the cameras? Did this ATM have one where there was enough lighting to clearly see the robber?
Finally, when is the last time your home was broken into, all of you? I say that because I believe it's probably safer to have a few bucks in a good safe in your home than it is to drive out at night for 20 bucks. Americans need to dicipline themselves better because obviously in a City like Salisbury, it's NOT worth the risk. We have had at least 5 major robberies in the past 7 days or so within a 2 mile radius. We have had at least two shootings to boot.
Use your heads Folks. This isn't Mayberry any more and there are people out there willing to shoot and kill. Then we have a Police Department that gets pissed off because that information has been exposed. I personally think the funny part about that situation is, they refuse to put me on their Press Release List, yet Salisbury News always gets the information first. GO FIGURE!
Exterior ATM machines should be done away with, to dangerous in todays world. Im surprised that someone has filed a suit against the banks for not providing proper protection for their customers. I personally dont think its their fault but its coming.
The victim was making a deposit so alternative ATM machines are not an option. Direct deposit is an alternative if this was a paycheck.
The thief was obviously waiting for a anyone to drive up and jump out as soon the the victim typed their PIN in. He also seemed to know that $200 is a normal maximum withdrawal. Sounds like a patient practiced thief to me.
Someone was robbed by a Black man here in Salisbury?!?! WHAT?!?!?! That doesn't happen here!
To those of you who complain about my not putting up every comment here on Salisbury News, let anonymous 4:37 serve as an example of the ones I usually reject. The ONLY reason it was posted was to show you how and why I reject so many comments. It wasn't proper and it certainly isn't necessary. I hope you'll agree.
I hate to suggest it but if the guy jumped the fence like that he is familiar with the area and very likely lives right there in those townhouses.Makes robbing people easy when you live so close.
And heres a thought-since they are so hellbent on decoy stings to nab guys that pay for sex perhaps they could use some of that manpower to actually prevent a potentially violent crime-send decoy females to ATM machines around the city.I would love to see the look on some thugs face when the "little old lady-victim" whips out a gun and cuffs and throws his ass on the pavement.
Getting info and pictures out to the public as fast as you can is key to catching a criminal. It's just plain childish of the mayor and the chief to not provide the info to a website that can post it in MINUTES.
It just doesn't make good sense, don't they want to CATCH THESE PEOPLE? Just because they don't like Joe Albero?
Maybe that's why Mike is so successful, he gets the releases out to as many sources as he can.
I just saw they busted up over $40,000 in cocaine and herion at a local motel. We know what mike uses the drug money for, just exactly was does SPD do with their's?
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