Prometheus 6

Police show up at IndyMac Branches in Encino, Northridge as waiting customers clash
People in line seeking to withdraw their money are told to remain calm or face arrest. A disruption reportedly occurs when some try to cut in line outside the failed institution.
By Andrea Chang and Andrew Blankstein
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
12:47 PM PDT, July 15, 2008

Los Angeles police were dispatched to IndyMac Bank branches in Encino and Northridge this morning when customers waiting to withdraw money became irate after several people tried to cut in line on the second day of the failed institution's federal takeover.

Police told customers to remain calm or face arrest as they tried to withdraw their money.

Three police units were dispatched shortly after 8 a.m. amid reports of a disruption outside branches at 17050 Ventura Blvd. in Encino and 8726 Tampa Ave. in Northridge, LAPD Officer Ana Aguirre said.

As many as 80 people were waiting outside the Encino branch when several people tried to cut in line, LAPD Officer April Harding said. Order was quickly restored at the branch and private security guards stood watch, with police acting as backup.

As the morning wore on, customers leaned over a metal railing separating them from a row of security guards and yelled complaints. The main point of contention surrounded a sign-up list that was started late Monday after many customers gave up and left for the day.

"He promised us there would not be a list," one woman yelled at a security guard. "We don't know who to believe!"

As tensions rose, customers began pointing fingers at one another and trying to cut in line.

"Listen to me, lady," Mahvash Barjasteh, 51, a loan broker from Woodland Hills said to a guard. "I was in front of him."

She was told to get to the back of the line.

Police left the branches at about 11:30 a.m. reporting no arrests or injuries.