Topic : Punishment, as deterrent

Oakland, Calif. (AP) - People jumped out of cars in rush hour traffic, grabbing bags of money that fell out of a Brink’s armored truck, and apparently got away with it.

“I saw one guy strike an old lady who was reaching for one bag,” said Willie Greenwood, who was behind the truck in his car when the Brink’s back door popped open and out plopped the bags.

“Another guy jumped onto my bumper and leaped into the crowd,” said Greenwood. “It went on for three or four minutes. I couldn’t move my car because there were so many people in the street.”

Brinks’ representatives wouldn’t say how much money was lost in the Wednesday morning rush hour scramble at the intersection of 14th and Harrison streets.

But bags of coins hit the pavement, scattering and rolling every which way and sacks of bills fell out too, according to Greenwood, 28, a stock clerk for American President Lines.

“It was crazy,” he said. “All the traffic stopped. People were coming from every direction. They were grabbing money and putting it in their pockets. Old people, young people and guys in business suits.”

Greenwood grabbed a plastic bag of coins wedged beneath the front tire of his car. Then he telephoned the police.

“I tried to tell them what had happened, but they kept me on hold for so long I finally hung up,” Greenwood said.

Spokesman-Review