Armed robber disarms armed cop in ''no-guns'' credit union

The Associated Press is reporting that an armed robber man stole a gun from an off-duty suburban Westerville police officer during a robbery in a "no-guns" credit union Tuesday.

From the story:

Investigators said a man wearing a fake mustache and wielding his own gun went into the BMI Federal Credit Union in Westerville near the Columbus city limits around at 11:28 a.m. Tuesday.

The robber put the weapon to the head of Cpl. Charles Chandler, who was moonlighting as a guard, and repeatedly threatened to kill him, Westerville police said.

The two men struggled over the officer's gun after the robber told him to hand it over, police said. The robber demanded money from the tellers, then fled in a car.

Police told NBC4i.com:

"There was a struggle with the officer," Westerville Lt. Tracey Myers said. "He was able to overpower him and get him down on the ground and get his gun away from him."

Police from Westerville and Columbus began chasing the robber, who was last seen driving a Mercury Cougar with tinted windows.

Officials said they found the car in a nearby apartment complex on Harvester Lane. Police later arrested the suspect, who officers said hid in a hole in the wall of his bedroom.

"It was maybe a 3-by-3 space, but it probably was the height of the ceiling in there," Columbus Police Sgt. Brent Mull said. "He was able to conceal himself."

Officials said the robber wore a fake beard and had something stuffed inside of his shirt to make him appear heavier during the robbery.

Police said they have not found the special duty officer's gun.

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None of the news reports have yet made mention of the TWO prominent "no-guns" signs being displayed on the entrance to BMI Federal Credit Union, nor made mention of the fact that this all happened within a school "safety" zone.

The alert OFCC member who notified us of this crime yesterday reports that his children's school, located "just across the street", was put into lock-down as these events unfolded.

When attempting to excuse their discriminatory and unsafe "no-guns" signs, bankers often explain that there may be armed guards on duty, so there would be no need for individual self-defense. However, this is the second Ohio bank robbery this year in which an armed police officer was unable to stop a robbery or protect the business' patrons.

Only you can protect you.

IS CRIME ON THE INCREASE IN POSTED BUSINESSES? Is advertising that customers and employees inside your business are defenseless really such a "safe" idea? Click to view an extensive (but by no means exhaustive) list which documents crimes committed in businesses posted with "no-guns" signs.