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Saturday, July 18, 2009

1997 BANK HEIST IN THE NO HO

2009 - The Year of Valley History

Los Angeles Police Car riddled by bullets 1997 - Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum - Photo taken by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley July 2009

Those of us who live in the metropolitan communities of Los Angeles are used to news broadcasts being interrupted with “breaking news” about an overturned semi truck on the 405 freeway or a brush fire in Griffith Park, but on February 28, 1997 – the news was urgent and desperately real! The Bank of America in North Hollywood was being robbed, customers and clerks terrorized and a gunfight between police and criminals in progress.
By the end of the ordeal 10 Los Angeles Police Officers several civilians hurt and two heavily armed gangsters dead.

Today, four of us took advantage of the one Saturday a month opening of the Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum. We were amazed about the extent of San Fernando Valley history is on exhibit at
6045 York Boulevard in Los Angeles (adjacent to Highland Park).
These are some of the photographs that I took of a bullet riddled police car present at the worst bank robbery in Valley history. Try counting the bullet holes in the robbers’ would-be get away car.

Criminals' Get-Away Car (that didn't get away) 1007 HEIST IN THE NO HO - Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum - Photo taken by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley July 2009

Heist car 1997 - Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum - Photo taken by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley July 2009

The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

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