86-Year-Old Philadelphia Woman Emily Coakley Charged With Bank Robbery

An 86-year-old woman, identified as Emily Coakley, was arrested Tuesday for robbing a bank in West Philadelphia, it was reported. According to the authorities, the woman was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, VUFA, terroristic threats and related offenses, Fox owned-and-operated television station, WTXF-TV, virtual channel 29 reported.

The report also stated that Coakley pointed a gun at a bank teller and demanded $400. After being arrested, she was handcuffed and escorted from TD Bank at 38th and Market.

Dave Schratwieser, a reporter with WTX-TV tweeted about the news.

A few customers spoke about the incident with WTXF-TV and were astonished at what had happened. They said it was quite unusual for someone of this age to rob a bank with a gun in one hand.

One of the customers named John McDonald said: “That's crazy. It's mind-blowing. That's pretty unusual. I never heard of a bank robber that age and armed," he said.

Another customer named Will Duggar also spoke to the news website and said that he was concerned that the woman was carrying a gun with her. He also said that she should be charged with her attempted robbery. "With a gun, yeah they should charge her... I'm concerned. I mean 86 or 26, she had a gun," she said.

According to the authorities, Coakley went into the bank located in West Philadelphia just after 2:00 p.m. local time with her walker and demanded $400 from the bank tellers at gunpoint. However, before any incident could have occurred Pennsylvania police were quick to arrive and arrest her.

According to a report in the New York Post, several sources confirmed that Coakley was present at the bank, one day before she attempted robbery too. Sources confirm that Coakley was in the bank to make a withdrawal on Wednesday. However, after returning home, when she counted the money, Coakley realized that she was short of $400.

Reports suggest that she went to the bank on Tuesday to collect her remaining money. Her family also supposedly showed up at the bank while she was being held, trying to calm her down, however, the bank customers present at the scene of the crime were not so forgiving.

"Someone could have got shot even accidentally. You have to have concerns. People bring their kids here," Duggan said, concerned about the people’s safety.

On the other hand, McDonald doubted that what happened in the bank on Tuesday would be a repeat event.

According to the same report in WTXF-TV, FBI agents examined the .38 caliber revolver that Coakley carried. Though the police say that the gun was empty when they recovered it, there were bullets in the bag. Agents later confiscated the money and also questioned the bank employees.

As of now, Coakley has been released “on her own recognizance”.