Masked men with handguns rob ''no-guns'' FirstMerit

7:26am Thursday, December 30, 2004

The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting that authorities are investigating a bank robbery that occurred Wednesday morning in Kenmore.

The story says employees at the FirstMerit Bank in the 1000 block of Kenmore Boulevard reported that three ski-masked men with handguns entered the bank about 9:40 a.m., and demanded money. FBI officials were quoted as saying two of armed criminals jumped over the counter.

Akron police told the Beacon Journal the men were seen running toward 18th Street Southwest and may have left the area in a black car.

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The Beacon Journal makes no mention of the prominently-displayed "no-guns" signs, identical to the one pictured at right. Taken at a Garfield Heights FirstMerit robbery earlier this year, the red sign in the background was posted after the robbery - "This office closed temporarily due to an emergency. We regret the inconvenience."

While no FirstMerit employee has been willing to speak on record, citing fear of being punished at work, after the Garfield Heights robbery one employee did provide comment upon condition of anonymity:

"Over and over we are robbed, and one day someone is going to be hurt or killed. But they will not even consider the safety of their employees or their customers. They think and claim that they are, but it never fails - this happens and they are helpless to stop it. This robbery is another perfect example of them being helpless in protecting us, leaving us helpless to do it ourselves".

FirstMerit has been serving Northeastern Ohio for over 155 years, and purchased branches in Western Pennsylvania in the past decade. Pennsylvania has had a concealed carry law since the late 80's, and up until frustrated Ohio customers began pointing out the hypocracy, these stores have never been posted with discriminatory signs.

Customer Contact Center - 1-888-554-4362
In the Akron area, please call 330-996-6025.
Email: [email protected].
(If you would like to hear back from a FirstMerit customer representative, please indicate that in your message.)

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 a list which documents crimes committed in businesses posted with "no-guns" signs.

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