Night Drops

From the Orlando Sentinel-

Bank parking lots can be dangerous places -- especially late at night.

Off-duty Orlando police Officer Alfred L. Gordon became the area's latest victim when he was shot and killed shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday. He had just withdrawn money from his bank's automated-teller machine in Pine Hills, sheriff's investigators said.

So far this year, there have been 10 ATM and two night-deposit-related robberies in Orange County -- a relatively rare crime for the Sheriff's Office, which handles more than 2,400 robberies annually.

"They look like they are more crimes of opportunity, as opposed to a crew that's targeting specific places and doing it repeatedly," said Ron Stucker, the agency's chief of investigations. "We don't have that here."

Seven robberies took place near South Orange Blossom Trail, a major crime corridor. Two, including Gordon's case, were in Pine Hills. Three others occurred in south or east Orange County.

Sheriff's investigators have released few details about Thursday's killing, but accounts of the other crimes can be frightening.

Sometimes an armed assailant jumps out of the bushes. Other times, an SUV blocks a vehicle at a drive-through ATM and several armed men jump out.

The risk of being robbed while using an ATM during late night hours, should be easily apparent. It is something people should avoid. In this day of bank cards, credit cards etc, why does someone need cash in the middle of the night? I guess some do and others are impatient for some reason.

Note- I am not saying anyone deserves to be robbed. My condolences to the family of Orlando police Officer Alfred L. Gordon.

If say a manager gets robbed and shot while making a night deposit, are they covered by workmen's compensation? Even if an employee is clocked out? My wife worked as a retail manager back in 1991-93 before going to work at our Catholic Church. Leonita wasn't a salary but an hourly employee and on average closed the Frankel's Home Furnishings store(In West Palm Beach) one or two times a week. Before going home, she'd make the deposit at a bank across the street from the store. Something that made me nervous back then. Leonita made these depoists after punching out for the day.

Is there a labor law attorney who can answer the above questions? I'm just curious what the answer is.

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