Masked men rob Highland bank

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By Times Staff | Sunday, November 09, 2008 | (20 comment(s))

HIGHLAND | Police are searching for four men who robbed a Highland bank Saturday morning.

Police were alerted at 9:27 a.m. that Centier Bank, 9102 Indianapolis Blvd., was robbed, Detective Cmdr. Ralph Potesta said.

Three men wearing Halloween masks entered the bank and ordered everyone to get down on the floor. The robbers hopped over the counter and stole an undetermined amount of cash, Potesta said.

No weapons were shown, and no one was injured. Two customers and at least five employees were inside the bank at the time of the incident, which lasted about 30 seconds, Potesta said.

During the robbery, a fourth man sat in a light blue getaway car, which police believe is possibly a Dodge Stratus.

Potesta confirmed a red dye pack in a bag of money exploded as the suspects fled north on Indianapolis Boulevard. The men threw some of the money out the car window.

Police have no suspects, although they're reviewing surveillance footage from the bank.

A Centier employee who was setting up orange cones to block traffic to the bank's drive-through lanes shortly after the robbery said it is company policy not to comment on such incidents.

The same bank branch was robbed in February.

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for the children wrote on Nov 13, 2008 2:52 PM:

" Those who oppose the right to keep and bear arms are not as a rule the kind of people who would, or could, take down a nut waving his gun at the kids in a McDonalds. Those who oppose gun rights are more like the kind of people who when the incident was over would write a sensitive essay about how it felt to come face to face with one's existential powerlessness when faced with the sudden force of a sick man who alas shot two kids right in front of me. You may mean to be helpful in the abstract, but you are not helpful in the particular.

Conservatives are on the side of the citizen who'd protect the kids and takes down the bad guy with the gun. Aren't you, really? Shouldn't you be, "for the good of the children"? "

Armed citizen wrote on Nov 13, 2008 2:48 PM:

" I hope I am never in a bank with you if a robbery happens. You would be worthless and your lack of a gun would result in both of us dying, or at the least, the robber getting away with it.

So yes, of course I am thinking exclusively of the lives of the clients and the employees in the bank! That is who I would be saving.

The only difference between you and me is speed of action.

You would call the police, who would show up 10 to 15 minutes later, cart out the dead bodies on gurnees and take everyone's statements and descriptions. They would try to console the families of those that were shot by the robbers.

I, on the other hand, would shoot the bad guy dead on the spot, of course observing all the rules of safe gun handling that are ingrained into me through extensive training. I would not endanger any of the clients and employees, just the bad guys!

If that professor at VT had a weapon on him, he could have shot the killer early and avoided dozens of student deaths. "

To ARMED Citizen wrote on Nov 12, 2008 6:17 PM:

" I hope I am never in a bank with you if a robbery happens. Did you ever think of the lives of the clients and the employees in the bank!?? "

Armed citizen wrote on Nov 12, 2008 2:13 PM:

" It's too bad one of the citizens at the bank didn't have his concealed carry weapon with him. He could have stopped the robbery cold. "

Glad wrote on Nov 12, 2008 8:18 AM:

" Well I'm glad no one was hurt, (employee or customer). "

CARING CITIZEN wrote on Nov 11, 2008 11:22 PM:

" ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS IM GLAD ST.JOHN IS ON THEIR TOES WHEN TRYING TO CATCH MORONS LIKE THIS! BY THE WAY THEY CAN GET A JOB...OUR ECONOMY MIGHT BE BAD BUT FOR PETE'S SAKES, ANY FAST FOOD PLACE WILL HIRE YA NOW! "

Laughing and surprised wrote on Nov 11, 2008 9:09 AM:

" I can't believe in this day and age, people can still get away with bank robberies. You would think better measures would be taken to prevent this. But who cares! They did what they did, because they were probably desperate. In cases like this, I always tell people to get a job, but really....where are the jobs? You can't get one if there isn't one! But here is the thing, just by reading this article, there are so many clues that the FBI and local police can go by, but they don't have suspects yet? Look for the guy with dye all over himself. That stuff actually lasts on you for a few weeks or longer. You have the make of the car, do the research. You have what the masks look like, have the tellers identify exactly which ones and start looking at the stores that sell that type. The list can go on and on! "

Quick One wrote on Nov 10, 2008 5:55 PM:

" Here's my question, how did they know that they were wearing "Halloween" masks? Maybe they were wearing Rob-A-Bank masks? "

To Quick wrote on Nov 10, 2008 3:50 PM:

" Surveillance photos? Remember they were wearing HALLOWEEN MASKS...you'd have the police looking for Frankenstein, the Grim Reaper, and the Joker! "

Dear God... wrote on Nov 10, 2008 1:21 PM:

" When is this bank going to hire a security officer! "

Chuckster wrote on Nov 10, 2008 12:30 PM:

" Just like Obama said, we cling to our guns and religion. Isn't Indiana a great state to live in? "

I am sure wrote on Nov 10, 2008 12:09 PM:

" I am sure the multi million dollar imagery cams that they have in the bank will pick up tattoo's..... "

My Goodness wrote on Nov 10, 2008 11:10 AM:

" You might recognize a tattoo or scar on one of the robbers. One of them may have an identifiable characteristic that will get him caught quicker if they tapes were put out to the media. :D) "

RE Quick wrote on Nov 10, 2008 9:47 AM:

" They probably look like Haloween costumes buddy! They were wearing masks...read the article. I don't know anyone who wears a halloween mask on a regular basis so how would I recognize someone in a survelance photo wearing a mask? "

Common Sense wrote on Nov 10, 2008 9:42 AM:

" Hey Quick, they were MASKED. What are they going to do, post pictures of Batman, the Joker, and some guy with hosiery on his face??? "

Hey folks get ready for the real MAD MAX MOVIE wrote on Nov 9, 2008 8:02 PM:

" We are going to be living it real soon! "

a democrat wrote on Nov 9, 2008 9:44 AM:

" What's the big hub bub? Isn't this what Obama was talking about when he said he would share the wealth. These guys are just getting started early. "

Quick wrote on Nov 9, 2008 8:52 AM:

" Where are the surveillance photos, Times and Highland PD? The best way to get suspects is to get their photos out to the public - like the St JOhn PD did - the guy was caught within a week. "

John B wrote on Nov 9, 2008 8:27 AM:

" Wow! Detective Commander! Way to go Ralph! "

Bystander wrote on Nov 9, 2008 6:43 AM:

" Watch for more! Out of desperate times come desperate people. Industries laying off by the thousands, prices of food, medicines and all commodities rising. Nowhere to turn. Watch for more! "

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