By MIKE MORRIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/02/06
A robber knocked off a bank early Thursday within yards of scores of armed police officers.
The target was the Atlanta City Employees Credit Union office in the Ponce de Leon Avenue building, which also is home to Atlanta police headquarters, said police spokesman Joe Cobb.
A customer was forced to lie on the floor during the 10:55 a.m. robbery, but no injuries were reported, Cobb said.
The bank branch is on the first floor; the police headquarters is on the third.
Cobb said that while many officers use the credit union office throughout the day, the robbery occurred when most were in morning staff meetings.
"There's nothing on the front of City Hall East that identifies it as a police department, so it's possible the person didn't even know, or they did know and they planned it at what appears to be the perfect time," Cobb said.
Cobb said the robber, described as 6-foot-2, wearing a black leather jacket, yellow shirt and blue jeans, had a small black handgun. He was last seen running east on Ponce de Leon.