We covered it as it happened, Flashing alerts as events unfolded, but recently released body worn camera footage of Concord police responding to a credit union holdup and the extended, often dodgy pursuit into San Jose that followed shows for the first time just what police and civilians were up against that day.
The holdup occurred in April, with events kicking off as a pair of masked, hooded armed robbers looted the tellers line of the Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union on Detroit Avenue in Concord. As the pair attempted to leave the scene, officers identified their car, which immediately began to flee. As those among you getting our Flash Alerts know, a police pursuit was initiated with the suspects fleeing south on Interstate 680.
The accompanying video details what happened next, exactly the way in which the gunmen attempted to disguise themselves, their weapons, and the lengths they were prepared to go to escape capture.
APPARENTLY NECESSARY WARNING
The video contains rough language and scenes of a man being shot. Please don’t watch if these things are likely to upset you.
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN
For a variety of reasons, some of them suspect, we are constantly besieged by demands for description by race – something we provide when confirmed. Often, we cannot provide that description due to the lengths suspects go to disguise themselves. Look at the initial point in the video when the thieves enter the bank. What race are they?
WEAPONRY
We are also besieged by readers demanding a description of weapons used during a crime. Look at this video and tell us (without stopping the video or relying on graphic interpretation supplied by the police department) what type of weapon(s) were used in this crime.
The fact of the matter is that incidents of this type are subject to chance and are rarely clear cut. Please keep this in mind the next time we’re dealing with a breaking news scenario.
He leaves the gun on the counter!!!
Yow
Omg….that video was intense! I don’t know how that police car avoided an accident .. but very glad they caught those two!
Subject critical incident report was chock full of action. It gave this civilian a little flavor of the split (nano) second decisions that our LEO personnel make in the line of duty.
Exactly right, Jeff. Unusual to have it all play out in a single incident like that but it sure got sporty, didn’t it?
Sporty is appropriate, I was leaning towards “spirited”. Regardless, the conduct of the suspects went well beyond the boundaries of our social mores.
Hollywood just can’t get it right. That was crazy.
The show “Southland” got it pretty close.
Firestone 11R
Intense.
Hmmm. They show up at the work site masked. They are armed. They refuse to identify themselves. Could it be those banditos, La Migra? Same MO, but this time they were challenged and fled.
Yes. The drum magazine was a tell but the point about certain segments of – law enforcement? – running street arrests while in full facial coverings and battle rattle is concerning. We would think it would be concerning for law enforcement, too, but haven’t heard much from them on the subject. We’d like to see saner heads prevail because we don’t want anyone – police or civilian – hurt, and we seem to be heading in that direction.
We are not “heading in that direction”. We have arrived.
If you only knew what it was like working with the Crips and Bloods in South Central LA during the early 1980’s.
Firestone 11R
Pretty fair idea. Worked gangs and crack in the city during the 80s.
SF gangs, bwahahahaha, and crack, bwahahahahaha.
Crips and PCP
Firestone 11R
“Our gangs can beat up your gangs.” Okay, they kept us busy enough, though.
I took these photos. My best friend Mike L. and LB did my training:
https://fpk.homestead.com/mugshot-18.html
Firestone 11R
Best news site in the East Bay.