Man in standoff with police at L.A. bank

KNBC: Man Threatens To Blow Up Bank In Standoff With Police:

Please do not blow up that awesome Corvette.

A police SWAT team and a bomb squad were sent to a South Los Angeles neighborhood, where a man who allegedly claimed to have an explosive device may be holed up in a vehicle, authorities said. The man, carrying a briefcase, entered the business in the 8500 block of South Broadway about 9:20 a.m. and "threatened to blow up the bank," said Los Angeles police Officer Jack Richter of the Media Relations office. The suspect then left the bank, and apparently entered a vehicle in the parking lot, Richter said. No injuries were reported. A SWAT team and a bomb squad were sent to the scene. The man was believed to be inside the vehicle, Richter said.

Update: Standoff is over. No one was hurt, no money was lost, and the cops nabbed the perp. But there are more than a few weird items in this story:

The 48-year-old heavyset man, carrying a briefcase, entered the Bank of America in the 8500 block of South Broadway about 9:20 a.m. and "threatened to blow up the bank," said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Jack Richter of the Media Relations office. But LAPD Officer Kathy Simpson said the bank employee refused to hand over any money, and the suspect left and took up refuge in someone's van in the 8500 block of South Olive Street. A SWAT team and a bomb squad were deployed at the site and the van was blocked in. Ultimately, the law enforcement contingent swelled to about 125 LAPD officers, it was reported, and a few FBI agents. It was reported that the man may have been involved in up to five such instances in the past. The suspect reportedly was given the opportunity to speak to members of his family during Tuesday's standoff, but refused. As police approached the suspect, who had pulled his T-shirt up and placed it atop his head, the man tumbled to the pavement, possibly after having been felled by a bean-bag projectile. Police initially identified the man as "Curtis Yarborough," but did not provide the spelling of his name. Reports that he might be an ex-National Football League player could not be immediately verified.

Bizarre. But hey, all's well that ends well.