Armed Robbers Hit Teachers Credit Union

Armed robbers escaped with an unknown amount of cash from the Los Angeles Teachers Credit Union Friday in the second holdup at a San Fernando Valley credit union this week.

Officials said the robbery on Friday--payday for thousands of school district employees--did not initially appear to be the work of the same bandits who got away with “a large amount” of cash Tuesday from the MCA/Universal Studios credit union in Universal City.

Both robberies involved three men, but Friday’s bandits were described as younger and dressed differently.

Witnesses said Friday’s bandits, who appeared to be between 18 and 23 years old, walked into the credit union in the 15400 block of Sherman Way at about 1 p.m., during the security guard’s lunch break.

Drawing pistols, the bandits announced: “This is a takeover!” according to witnesses.

As one gunman watched the three customers and 10 employees from the rear of the credit union, his two accomplices vaulted the counter and ordered tellers to hand over the money, witnesses said.

“I was standing in line, but everyone else was at the counter,” said Nelline Celestine, a 48-year-old Valley Village teacher who took a half-day off to cash a check.

“These two guys jumped the counter. They had two large guns. It was too much.

“All the tellers were in tears.”

In about a minute, witnesses said, the robbers were running out the door, dropping stray bills on the floor and laughing. “Rock and roll! Let’s get out of here!” the crooks said.

An off-duty sheriff’s deputy happened into the credit union moments after the bandits fled. He gave chase in his car but could not catch them, witnesses said.

“Everybody’s OK,” Celestine said, “but everybody’s a little shaken up.”

An FBI spokesman said there is no known connection between the credit union robberies and the so-called “early-bird bandits” believed responsible for seven violent bank holdups across Southern California.

Celestine and other witnesses noted that the teachers’ credit union has no bulletproof glass shields for its tellers.

“It was clear. It was wide open,” Celestine said.

“That’s the reason I come here. You don’t have to talk through that bulletproof glass. It’s more personable.”