LOS ANGELES – Suspected bank robbers fleeing county sheriff’s deputies hurled cash from a speeding SUV on Wednesday, drawing people into the streets until a pickup blocked their path and they had to surrender.
In a bizarre scene followed by TV helicopters, a large crowd pressed in as deputies with guns drawn pulled two men from the SUV in South Los Angeles. City police formed skirmish lines to move the crowd back.
Along the pursuit route, people were seen scooping up money.
Police Department spokesman Cmdr. Andrew Smith said it appeared the suspects threw the money in hopes of drawing people into the roadway to block the pursuing patrol cars.
“A lot of people came out of their houses; they saw this on TV, they saw that money was being thrown,” Smith said.
Hundreds of people gathered around the deputies during the arrest.
“I think one of the folks told me that they thought there was more money in the vehicle and maybe they were hoping to get a little bit of that,” Smith said.
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