Police outside NatWest Bank in the High Street, which yesterday was the scene of a violent struggle as officers dealt with three men suspected of deception.
PANDEMONIUM broke out in a Town bank yesterday as police officers used a disabling spray to subdue a suspect.
Customers dived out of the way as uniformed officers burst into NatWest in the High Street and wrestled a suspect to the ground.
Pava spray, said to be stronger than CS gas, was used in the arrest and customers including a Guernsey Press reporter were left dazed and with sore throats.
There was also a report that a Taser electric stun gun had been used, but that was strongly denied by police.
Officers were called to the bank at about 12.30pm after staff alerted them that three men in their 20s could be involved in deception.
Acting-Inspector Andy Jones said it was a difficult situation.
‘One of the suspects was being quite aggressive,’ he said.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of deception and a third is also being investigated for allegedly resisting arrest and injuring a police officer in the violent tussle.
Insp. Jones said they had used the spray to subdue the man.
‘There was a scuffle and we were forced to use Pava to help incapacitate him,’ he said.
‘It is non-lethal and would wear off quickly.’
The doors were shut during the incident to prevent customers entering during the fight.
Two officers were looked over by a doctor, but all have been declared fit.
The three men are still being questioned by police and have not been charged.
A NatWest spokeswoman said no staff or customers had been injured. Counselling is being offered to staff.
‘It can seem shocking to come across this and it can take a little while for people to realise they do need counselling after such experiences.’
She said one sign in the bank had been damaged.
Article posted on 27th November, 2009 - 2.30pm
23 Article Comments
Thank you Guernsey Press, thank you, you brightened my day and gave me cause for a good laugh!…..The headlines and copy say ‘Police use stun spray in swoop on Town bank…..’ and ‘Pandemonium broke out….’
……and the accompanying photograph shows two elderly folk, one with a walking stick and holding hands, and a pregant young woman! Cor la….that’s pandemonium eh.
Report abuse
I am reliably informed that it was the one with the walking stick that got heavy. How fortunate that our boys in blue were able to disarm this violent savage. Sceptics who argue that the police shouldn’t carry CS gas take note – give them guns so they can rid our streets of these thugs once and for all !
Report abuse
As Natwest like to say in their adverts..”There is another way…..”
Report abuse
Massive over reaction for two guys trying deception with a benefits cheque.
Why can’t the States pay out benefits in cash as a lot of these guys need the money deparately.
Was the panic button at the bank pressed too early ?
In the old days there used to be a suited gentleman who would have a quiet word if a customer was over expressing themselves.
Havn’t we all got annoyed with a bank cashier in the past ?
Massive movements of money occur every day in and out of Guernsey, some unregulated and proven drug or arms deals involving Guernsey finance houses.
Two guys with a dodgy benefits cheque banged up ?
Get your priorities right please.
Report abuse
Expat80
On behalf of my cousin ( twice removed ).She is the young woman in the picture and she says she is definitely NOT pregnant and how dare you cast aspersions
Report abuse
Deepthroat Donkey:
Your post is inaccurate and riddled with assumptions.
What happens in court is in the public domain and perhaps you might like to go and watch the associated court case so you understand the situation and facts before you make further mistakes with your lack of information.
Report abuse
RAY.
Whoops, sorry about that, apologies to your twice removed cousin, hope her Daddy didn’t think I was the future hubby-to-be, my mistake, no offense intended, simply my ageing eyes failed me.
Using my magnifying glass I’ve taken another look at the photograph and you’re right, the delightful, glamorous, very young, classy looking lady of movie star appearance stepping elegantly down the street as if she had glided straight out of an international fashion magazine in the photograph deserves better, and appears simply to be dressed to combat the the colder weather.
La, how could I have been so unobservant, me.
Have a nice day, your twice-removed cousin too…..and her Daddy.
Report abuse
hmm. Stun guns/etc are sooo old hat. What they need are those “pain ray” devices the U.S. Military have, that when tested resulted in the unfortunate crispy critters moving out of the beam double quick.
Report abuse
Expat80
My twice removed cousin says ‘that’s more like it’
Report abuse
RAY.
You’re welcome. Anything to oblige. But tell me, why was your cousin removed? And why on earth was she removed twice!? Surely once would have been enough?
Report abuse
Truthman – The facts are clear.
A High street bank should have its own body guards and security guards in place to stop this type of incident.
When you visit any HMV store in the UK it has uniformed guards highly visable on the door.
The banks are much more wealthy and have brought the worlds econamy to its knees.
They should not have to rely on the Guernsey police to provide security.
Still have been informed from a very reliable source that they possibly over reacted, which caused the fraudsters to be very violent.
Should have been contained “in house” from the onset with paid security guards.
Report abuse
Expat80
She is the youngest in a family of twelve children living in a States house. As the family dwindled through marriage,and leaving the island to look for work they were told that their large States House was too big and they were relocated to smaller premises. This happened to my cousin twice
Report abuse
Im pretty sure that these two are already well known to our local officers (having seen their names in the paper for wrongdoings before)
Yes it may only be benefit theft they are accused of, but how often does this type of theft lead into more dangerous crime?
Im glad these two were aprehended with no injury caused to innocent people going about their own business, well done Guernsey Police
Report abuse
Yerse, I see what you mean. I and my siblings were raised at Courtil Portier and by the time my widowed Mum passed away she had been removed four times, in fact she was in her late seventies at the time of the fourth removal and didn’t know where she was or where she ended up at…..
Report abuse
If only Policemen had to have even 1 GCSE to join it would be of little concern.
Report abuse
Andy:
I don’t see your point. What is it you are trying to say and how does it link to the topic?
Report abuse
Deepthroat Donkey:
You are not being accurate. Apparently these guys were involved in a crime. That requires the intervention of the police. Private security guards would have been no use whatsoever.
Read the eye witness account that was printed in GP the following day – you will see that your understanding of the events is at odds with what happened.
Also, I don’t see why you are seeking to blame everyone else for this, apart from those who were actually to blame – and that was the guys who were committing the crime.
Report abuse
Armed Police need to come from a decent educational background presently they generally dont.
Report abuse
Andy
Educated at what? History,Maths,English,etc
I dont get your point.
Report abuse
Andy says “Armed Police need to come from a decent educational background presently they generally dont”.
Will you please elaborate as to the reasons for this statement. It’s such a sweeping statement.
Report abuse
An island in which has such low crime rates, and such little need to use their Pava spray (stronger than CS). Did they use a minor fraud attempt to carry through some kind of overzealous SAS operation?
Report abuse
Richard
I believe the report indicated that there was a violent struggle ?
That’s probably the reason why the spray was put into play.If Police officers were permitted to kick,spit and head butt back in such struggles they probably wouldn’t need to carry defensive equipment
Report abuse
I think by reading some of the posters posts on here they would have felt better if the police were locked up instaed?. Action and reaction springs to mind.
Report abuse