Guard, Robber Meet in Miss-Miss Affair

RIVERSIDE —  An armored car courier and a would-be robber exchanged gunfire at the front door of a bank Tuesday, but neither man was wounded and the robber managed to flee, the FBI said.

The courier for the unidentified armored car company was making a call about 10 a.m. to a Security Pacific National Bank branch on La Sierra Avenue when a man confronted him, said FBI Special Agent Fred Reagan.

“The man said, ‘This is a holdup’ ” and both pulled guns, firing three or four shots each from a distance of 15 to 20 feet, Reagan said. Both men missed each other, although one bullet did pierce the guard’s pant leg.

Stepping back while firing, the guard tripped and fell on his back. The gunman fled, running through the front door of the bank, out the back door and into a getaway car that was later found abandoned, the agent said. Reagan said the car had been reported stolen earlier.