A man who became alarmed when he saw a man carrying a gun inside the TD Bank at 2461 Main St. last Thursday afternoon was himself charged with breach of peace because he shook up bank staff.
Robert Gursky, 50, of Cavan Lane, was in the bank transacting business when he saw a person with a handgun. The person he saw was legally carrying the firearm and had no ill intent, police said.
Gursky, however, was concerned and tried to convey what he saw to a bank teller.
"He was trying to relay to the teller someone had a gun," Glastonbury Agent Kevin Szydlo said. Gursky was trying to write a note to the teller, and also said "gun." Gursky then completed his transaction and left the bank. He also tore up the note he was writing and threw it away.
The teller and other bank staff became alarmed, activated their robbery protocol and called police, Szydlo said. Police figured out who had the gun and determined he possessed it legally. They also tracked down Gursky, interviewed him, then charged him with breach of peace.
I hope they handed him his sign too. He acted just like a lot of bumbling back robbers act. A shame they didn't give him his money in one of those bags with the dye bombs in it. Then he would have had to explain that at work the next day.
ReplyDeleteOne would think it would be better to just say, "Good job being observant, but please be less panicky next time," and give similar advice to the tellers. Sounds like they have too many D.A.'s for the work load in that town if they can afford the time to prosecute this.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. But, it was also an example of open carry causing problems.
DeleteI'm missing how this busybody committed a crime.
DeleteGreg,
DeleteI don't think he did. Hence, I'd just have them tell him not to panic in the future so that he didn't waste police resources.
Mike,
Yes, this is a problem that can happen with open carry, but it can also happen with concealed carry, or even carry by an off-duty/undercover cop.
More people are likely to see the openly carried firearm, but that alone should put them at ease. It's unlikely that a robber will be standing in line with an openly carried gun, such that the gun draws people's attention and they make special note of his features.
The police actually charged him!
ReplyDeleteThen police wonder why people "don't want to get involved."
So this busybody overreacts, and the police and bank overreact--what do we learn? Relax.
ReplyDeleteGee, it's so out of line for someone to try and tell a bank teller that a guy has a gun on him inside the bank. I'm surprised a bank allows anyone to bring their gun into the bank. This is the kind of situation stupid carriers cause when they don't consider where they are bringing there gun.
ReplyDelete