HARRISBURG, Penn–What was intended to be a joke turned out to be anything but, with police surrounding a credit union branch here.
According to PennLive.com, Gladys Smith thought she was being funny when she gave her employee, Sharon Mingle, a note and told her to turn it in to a teller at a branch of Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union here.
But Mingle, a Pennsylvania Department of Revenue staffer, didn’t realize it was a joke and didn't read the slip of paper on which had been written “put the money in the bag,” according to PennLive.com.
Mingle proceeded to hand the note to a teller, who didn't comply with the demand for cash but instead hit an alarm button.
Within three minutes, approximately 10 Capitol police officers swarmed the credit union, TroyThompson, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, told PennLive.com. The department oversees the department's Bureau of Police and Safety.
Mingle was arrested and after being read her rights told police she was simply following orders that had been given to her by Smith at the Department of Revenue. That led the cops to visit Smith in the Department’s offices, according to Thompson. Smith then acknowledged she had given Mingle the note, but said it was meant to be a joke.
Smith has been charged with disorderly conduct. Mingle wasn't charged, according to PennLive.com.