Jim Nicholson, the teller at Key Bank on Lower Queen Anne who was fired for capturing a bank robber, appeared on NBC this morning. The interview (below) includes security video of Nicholson chasing the man out of the bank.
“If something goes wrong around me, I have to try to do what I can to make it right,” he told Ann Curry, adding that he would do it all over again.
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10 responses so far ↓
1 Roger // Aug 5, 2009 at 6:27 pm
The bank is absolutely correct here. If I were in a bank and a person/robber walks into the branch and says he/she has a gun, I wouldn't want some person/jock to takes matters into his own hands. The outcome could have been entirely different had that person had a gun. If multiple people had been killed as a result, then what would everyone be saying about this hero? Common sense prevails!
2 Plasticroad4 // Aug 5, 2009 at 8:43 pm
I can't believe your response. It's obvious that you have already pegged this criminal as a poor individual, pushed into crime by a society that didn't give him enough opportunity. Let me get this straight, was the robber victimized by Mr. Nicholson, the big bad jock? It's mentalities like yours that have given criminals more rights than honest, law-abiding citizens. Until people stop accepting crime and start fighting it, the criminal elements of our society will continue to victimize others.
Good for you Jim! It's people like you that give me hope. I hope that you get hired by another institution that appreciates your dedication and loyalty!
3 gtgoff // Aug 5, 2009 at 9:24 pm
I think his comment wasn't in support of the robber, but rather suggested that the robber could have potentially shot the teller who threw the bag on the floor and then continued to shoot other people out of anger/shock that his demands weren't followed. The bank rules ARE correct and are in support of the safety of all involved – the money IS insured, and the bank pays for that insurance. There's no reason to increase the risk to other employees and customers in order to protect against making an insurance claim on a policy you pay for.
As much as I would love to be the one chasing down the robber and taking him out, just as I would chase down/verbally attack someone who hits my car in a parking lot while calling the police (due to a high deductible, I want them to PAY), someone who potentially has a gun is a much greater risk.
4 jacksmith66 // Aug 5, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Plasticroad4, you miss the point of the bank policy. The bank policy follows that of the insurance carrier and that policy was set for a very good reason. I can see Jim, a bank staff member or client being killed or hurt in a bank robbery by his action during this incident. Jim or his estate would demand compensation, as would client(s) and other staff members. The bank would have to deal with forms, claims, lawyers and court dates.
5 James // Aug 5, 2009 at 10:15 pm
I used to work as a teller, and yes, you aren't supposed to do that. But it's no reason to fire the guy. It's basically the bad economy, companies are looking FOR ANY EXCUSE TO FIRE YOU…that's all there is to it.
What the bank did to this poor guy is absolutely EVIL, PUTRID, HEINOUS, LUDICROUS (add synonym here). They probably wanted to lay him off anyway, and this was the perfect opportunity. The VP of the bank should be ashamed.
Another bank so hire this guy ON THE SPOT to show Key bank off. The FDIC ought to come by and pull their bailout fund for this
6 Plasticroad4 // Aug 5, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I'm afraid that my comments were misunderstood. Though I disagree with them , I understand why banks have those policies in place. Alas, that is a tort reform discussion for a different time and place. I never said that I disagreed with them. My issue with the original post had to do with the poster's description of Mr. Nichols as a “person/jock” and the criminal as a “person/robber”. A spade is a spade.
The guy who tried to rob the bank is a CRIMINAL, though he may be a person, he has continually proved (as attributed by his long record) that he is willing to live beyond the laws and rules that our society has put in place. In my book that makes him a repeat criminal and not a person who belongs in society. He has been given many chances and continually proven that he is a criminal. Is that to say that if given another chance he'll stay out of jail, I can't say, but I do know that if you get bitten several times, then you are probably going to get bitten again if you continue doing the same thing.
Furthermore, the poster automatically tagged Mr. Nichols as a “jock” which has no bearing on the situation.
The point that I was trying to make was that it isn't right for certain individuals I.E. “Roger” criticize heroes and sympathize with criminals.
7 Tom // Aug 6, 2009 at 9:16 am
I agree, using the term “jock” betrays some bias on the part of Roger.
8 Name // Aug 10, 2009 at 10:53 am
A real hero and he gets fired! No good deed goes unpunished!!
9 Name // Aug 10, 2009 at 5:53 pm
A real hero and he gets fired! No good deed goes unpunished!!
10 bsaunders // Feb 17, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I used to wait tables in a restaurant in San Francisco. We had a similar policy: “Do not chase people who dine and run.” The other tellers, the customers in the bank, and people on the street were put at risk.