Irate customer raises ‘finger guns’ in attempted bank robbery

Deputies arrested a 45-year-old transient woman Monday morning after she allegedly tried to rob a US Bank in Yucca Valley. Witnesses said she raised her arms over her head and simulated pistols with her hands to announce the robbery.

The attempted robbery happened just before 10:30 a.m. at 57550 Twentynine Palms Highway.

Deputies said Royal Marie Fahrner was apparently irate that her credit card had been stolen and she was demanding for the bank to replace her card. When the bank couldn’t replace her card, she walked to the center of the lobby, wearing a pack over her shoulder, and that’s when she simulated guns with her hands and said, ‘Everyone down, this is a robbery’, according to the sheriff’s release.

While the ‘finger guns’ may not have intimidated too many of the employees, they told deputies they were concerned Fahrner may actually have weapons in her shoulder pack and was going to rob the bank.

An employee called 911 and Fahrner ran from the bank before deputies arrived. Authorities said they found her nearby at Vons and took her into custody.

Deputies said she didn’t have any actual weapons on her.

Fahrner was arrested for attempted robbery and was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail on $30,000 bail, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.