Driving home the other evening, on seeing a motorist in a local lay-by with a police car in front of him and an unmarked car with flashing blue lights in its front grille behind him, reminded me of a ‘bank robbery’ incident I was involved in some twenty years ago.
I was living in East Hunsbury, Northampton at the time and my brother came up to visit me up from north London. It was a weekday, he had a cheque – remember them – to pay into a Nat-West bank branch. I told him that there was one in The Drapery in the Northampton town centre. So we drove into town in his 1988 BMW 325i. En route I suggested to save parking up, I could wait in his car outside the bank whilst he went in and deposited his cheque. He agreed and we drove up The Drapery – at this time normal cars were permitted – access has changed now allowing only buses and taxis.
My brother went into the bank, I sat in the driver’s seat with the engine running in case a traffic warden came along – yellow lines were evident outside the bank. After some minutes, I rolled forward to view my brother and his place in the queue so I could judge how long he would be. I rolled the car back being mindful of a bus stop in front of me. I repeated this move a few times. Another five minutes passed and my brother came out of the bank. We swapped seats and he sped away out of The Drapery.
We took the direct route back to East Hunsbury entering Clannell Road just past Mereway Tesco. Nearer the end of Clannell Road, the sound of sirens and sight of blue lights behind us became apparent. We slowed down to allow the police car to pass – a marked police car overtook us and swerved across the front of us blocking our progression.
A marked police car stopped closely behind us. We were forced to stop as we were blocked. We realised then the police wanted us to stop! Policemen then came to each side of our car and asked us to get out which we did.
They kept us separate and a policeman questioned me asking for my details, where I was going, where had I been and who the driver of the car was. Meanwhile a double decker bus passed and I was more concerned about anyone on the bus recognising me and getting the wrong idea with the police presence! Another male and female police officer searched the car whilst my brother and I continued to be questioned.
After all that was asked was disclosed and some minutes elapsed, a police officer explained that they had spoken to the bank and no untoward activity had taken place and that we had been monitored in The Drapery on camera. The activity of my brother’s car, which was registered in London, watched outside the bank rolling back and forth primed to drive off with myself at the wheel looked mighty suspicious. A police officer said to both of us that he was satisfied that everything was in order and duly handed my brother a paperwork slip with the words written on it ‘stopped regarding a bank incident’.
Subsequent visits to my bank also residing in The Drapery were on foot only! ©
