A criminal picked the wrong bank and the wrong teller. Last Tuesday, a man walked into a Key Bank branch in Seattle, placed a bag on the counter and demanded money from 30-year-old teller Jim Nicholson. Instead of handing over the money, Mr. Nicholson asked the man where "it" was, referring to a weapon. When the man didn't answer, Nicholson lunged after the man, who ran out of the bank.

Mr. Nicholson gave chase, and caught the man with the help of a passerby. He held him down and waited for police to arrive, he told the Seattle Times.

Then we enter bizarro world. Because he violated the bank's policy of quickly getting robbers out of the bank, pardon the pun, he got cashiered. Mr. Nicholson is out of a job because bank officials say trying to stop robberies puts employees and customers at risk.

I am all for following policy. But does the bank have a zero tolerance policy that goes with that? Couldn't it have been a stern lecture, perhaps even some additional training for Mr. Nicholson?

Mind it--no one got hurt. The bank did not lose a penny. Not even a dye pack. And in a tough job market, a brave man who did something instinctive is out of a job.

One comment that sums up the feelings of this blog perfectly:

If I were a Key Bank customer, at 9:01AM I would not be. Key Bank should re-hire Nicholson, pat him on the back, strongly "suggest" that he not do that again, buy him a steak dinner, and put him back to work! If they didn't, I'm sure another bank would like my business.

What is wrong with Key Bank management?

If you are a Key Bank customer, or even if you are not a customer, let them know what you think about this:

Be polite, be nice.

Key Bank: 1-800-539-2968.

Or you can contact them online: https://www.key.com/html/key-bank-general-contact.html