The practical, fuel efficient Chevrolet Aveo can save you money both on the purchase price and the gasoline it sips in use. The four-door sedan seats four, and the hatchback offers easily accessible load space for canvas sacks stuffed with banknotes.

But if you're going to use it for a getaway, hang onto your car keys after you rob that bank.

Neglecting that handy hint landed a gang of four robbers in the clink in the town of Bear, Delaware, yesterday, after one of them locked the keys to his Chevrolet Aveo in the bank they had just robbed.

Three men wearing wigs, along with one woman, entered the Artisans Bank yesterday morning just after 9 am. They fired a shot into the ceiling, tied up two employees with duct tape, and herded six others into a bathroom.

After forcing an employee to get money from the vault and teller drawers, they fled--leaving the car keys inside. Once they realized they couldn't get back inside, the female getaway driver pulled up in a Ford Escort and sped them away.

Police stopped the Ford soon thereafter, and arrested Olman Mencia, 21, of Atlantic City, New Jersey; his brother Marvin Mencia, 22, of Egg Harbor, New Jersey; and brother and sister Jeffrey Johnson, 21, and Ciara Johnson, 20, also of Atlantic City.

The four racked up six counts of robbery, eight kidnapping offenses, and further charges of aggravated menacing, conspiracy, weapons offenses and wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony.

Alleged robbery at Artisans Bank, Bear, Delaware

[Delaware Online]