and the cops are swarming the place-it's on right now.

HH
-------------------------------------------------------------

One Hostage Still Held in Florida Bank Standoff
Tuesday, January 10, 2006

PHOTOS
   
Click image to enlarge

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Two suspected robbers fled a bank this evening where they had held hostages and are now trapped inside a car with their one remaining hostage.

Authorities say police threw some sort of explosive device as the robbers ran out the door and jumped into the car of a bank employee.

Police say they flattened the tires on the car and that the robbers, believed to be a man and a woman, are inside the vehicle with their hostage, hours after two other captives were released.

A SWAT team from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office has surrounded the Mercantile Bank a mile west of the theme park.

The standoff began at about 9:30 a.m. and stretched into the evening, snarling traffic in the tourist corridor after deputies cordoned off the area.

As a result, several families in town for Disney visits were stuck in the area hotels and nearby restaurants were all but deserted.

Lizasuain said none of the released hostages were hurt, and the suspects have said they don't intend to harm anyone. She said at least one of the robbers was armed, but did not specify a weapon.

(Story continues below)

ADVERTISEMENTSAdvertise Here  



The released hostages, two women and a man, were let go hours apart — the first woman after the robbers panicked when deputies arrived so quickly after the robbery, Lizasuain said.

The man was released about three hours later in exchange for cigarettes, and the second woman was released just before 3 p.m. after deputies agreed to back their vehicles a few feet away from the bank, Lizasuain said.

The remaining hostage was a female employee. Lizasuain said the suspects wanted deputies to open up roads for her release, but that request was denied.

Lizasuain said the released hostages were shaken, but recovering, and negotiations were still progressing.

Julie Flores, the front desk clerk at a Quality Inn within sight of the bank, said several guests were getting restless after being stuck inside much of the day. She said families weren't confined to their rooms, but couldn't leave the hotel after police shut down the area.

Sam Hamade, manager at Giordano's Pizza across the street from the bank, said his store couldn't even make its scheduled 10 a.m. opening because roads were already closed off.

"People are calling for deliveries, and we cannot deliver," he said, adding that the shutdown cost an estimated $12,000-$13,000 in lost business.

Calls to the bank were routed to a Mercantile call center, where a woman said she had no additional information.

Mercantile Bank is a subsidiary of the South Carolina-based South Financial Group, which issued a statement saying:

"The police are in charge of this situation. We are cooperating fully and in every possible way. Our concerns are for our employees."

The same bank was robbed Nov. 16, and investigators are still looking for two suspects, Lizasuain said.

dang

hope it turns out OK

It's all Bush's fault

Bank robbers are Ghey. Get a job ya bums.

There is a theory that these are the same people that robbed this bank on November 16th 2005.

Damn JBT's they should be out revenue collecting.

This deal is going to cost major money.

Quoted: and the cops are swarming the place-it's on right now. HH

Crap.

Well, here's hoping that the cops kill the bad guys and that all the innocents get to come home safe.

Also, here's hoping we don't end up with another North Hollywood out of this.

George Bush hates hostages.

Hope they stormed the place wearing long sleeve shirts, polyster pants, and ties while armed with a revolver.  No need in any of that icky SWAT-type gear.

Quoted: Damn JBT's they should be out revenue collecting. This deal is going to cost major money.

Quoted: dang hope it turns out OK

+1.

>.<

POST A DAMN LINK. I CAN'T READ MINDS.

Quoted: It's all Bush's fault hr

+1

Quoted: >.< POST A DAMN LINK. I CAN'T READ MINDS.

Wow.

Quoted: Quoted: >.< POST A DAMN LINK. I CAN'T READ MINDS. Wow.

I've been looking like crazy, I have family that works in various banks...

Bush turned on his bank robbery machine to pay for the levee he got caught blowing up.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: >.< POST A DAMN LINK. I CAN'T READ MINDS. Wow. I've been looking like crazy, I have family that works in various banks...

Sorry to hear that

Did you check Foxnews.com?   clicky

Thank God...

I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS.

Holy shit. The JBT's have an armored personel carrier. Bet those come in handy at those DLC's.

There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something.

Quoted: There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something.

Cover?

tag for when there's pics.  

SWAT is tied up executing SWs for half ounces of pot.

Quoted: There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something.

Kick ass.

Quoted: Quoted: There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something. Cover?

Or a Full Breach.

Quoted: Thank God... I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS.

When the thread was started, there weren't any links on any of the sites I go to for info: Fox, CNN or Topix.net. Sometimes that happens.

You can go to any of those sources yourself too and find out for yourself instead of making statements like that.  

Quoted: Quoted: There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something. Cover?

and negotiations and photo ops

IBTDkJ

In Before The Dog Killer jokes .

nope the apc is going to drive in and punch a few holes, and pump in tear gas, the next thing will be a fire

www.news4jax.com/news/5976790/detail.html

Quoted: Quoted: Thank God... I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS. When the thread was started, there weren't any links on any of the sites I go to for info: Fox, CNN or Topix.net. Sometimes that happens. You can go to any of those sources yourself too and find out for yourself instead of making statements like that.

Thanks for stating 1st what I would've!  Dang...it came on LIVE before they even thought about putting it on their site.  

HH

One Hostage is out safe . Dont think this gonna be a hollywood shootout.

Quoted: Quoted: There is an APC in the street....they are preparing for something. Cover?

Waiting for backup

They're saying there could be 5 or more hostages inside.  

I'm praying they get out safely.  

Comment on FOX: "There's no getting out of here...it's completely surrounded."

HH

Quoted: Quoted: Thank God... I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS. When the thread was started, there weren't any links on any of the sites I go to for info: Fox, CNN or Topix.net. Sometimes that happens. You can go to any of those sources yourself too and find out for yourself instead of making statements like that.

Wait to the shoe is on the your foot. Bank robberies with hostages often times end badly. My mother's bank got held up 6 times this year and my cousin had his robbed twice at gun point in the same month. Kissimee isn't far from where they both work.

To many JBT's on the ground. There is revenue that needs collecting.

They need no more than two donut munchers to handle this detail.

Get back to work.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Thank God... I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS. When the thread was started, there weren't any links on any of the sites I go to for info: Fox, CNN or Topix.net. Sometimes that happens. You can go to any of those sources yourself too and find out for yourself instead of making statements like that.   Wait to the shoe is on the your foot. Bank robberies with hostages often times end badly. My mother's bank got held up 6 times this year and my cousin had his robbed twice at gun point in the same month. Kissimee isn't far from where they both work.

Well, as I've done since I had access to the Internet for 10 years now, I'd have checked the news outlets (it's as easy as clicking "submit" on Arfcom) and THEN wigging out instead of demanding links and wringing my hands while wigging out.

FWIW if your mom's been robbed 6 times I'd tell her to get a new job. That's crazy.

Edit I WASTED POST 10,000 ON THIS???!!!!?!?!! I want my money back!  

Any place to get steaming video? Dont have access to a TV right now.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Thank God... I WISH PEOPLE WOULD POST LINKS IN THEIR THREADS. When the thread was started, there weren't any links on any of the sites I go to for info: Fox, CNN or Topix.net. Sometimes that happens. You can go to any of those sources yourself too and find out for yourself instead of making statements like that.   Wait to the shoe is on the your foot. Bank robberies with hostages often times end badly. My mother's bank got held up 6 times this year and my cousin had his robbed twice at gun point in the same month. Kissimee isn't far from where they both work. Well, as I've done since I had access to the Internet, I'd have checked the news outlets (it's as easy as clicking "submit" on Arfcom) and then wigged out instead of demanding links and wringing my hands. FWIW if your mom's been robbed 6 times I'd tell her to get a new job. That's crazy.

That is considered good. Most banks get it once a month.

Quoted: To many JBT's on the ground. There is revenue that needs collecting. They need no more than two donut munchers to handle this detail. Get back to work.

That's a big 10-4

Quoted: That is considered good. Most banks get it once a month.

WHAT

Quoted: To many JBT's on the ground. There is revenue that needs collecting. They need no more than two donut munchers to handle this detail. Get back to work.

Most banks get robbed once a month?  Where at, Bogota?

Quoted: Quoted: That is considered good. Most banks get it once a month. WHAT

Majority of robberies are a simple note and takes less than a minute. No other person knows except the teller/branch manager and the robber. They always catch the guys.

Quoted: Most banks get robbed once a month?  Where at, Bogota?

Central FL. It's really fucked up. The cops stopped going to frauduglent calls, etc. Told the branch manager, "To call when there is a REAL emergency."

Quoted: Quoted: That is considered good. Most banks get it once a month. WHAT

macman...you just flew by 10000.  Congrats!

HH

This is less than a mile from the entrance to DisneyWorld.

HH

Congrats macman37 on making 10K posts.

Only about 398 to go for me.  

Quoted: Congrats macman37 on making 10K posts. Only about 398 to go for me.

Good job, deej!  I've got some serious catchin' up to do!



HH

The FBI has arrived.


This could last a while.