One of the leaders of the SLA Donald Defreeze also spoke on the tape as his alias name Cinque. He said, "Patty's ˜arrest' was for crimes that her mother and father have committed against we the American people and the oppressed world " (pg. 17). Patty became one of the SLA members and fulfilled the duties of her role as a female member. She had to open herself to sex from men of the SLA when they wanted it just like the other females. She made statements that she was embarrassed of her family and that she would never go back to the Hearst's. Giving the public a reason to believe that she had been brainwashed and giving the SLA leverage. In later interviews Patty described how she told the SLA that she wanted to fight for the people, but in her mind it was only so that she could live. As time progressed Patty was treated more like a member and given her revolutionary name, Tania. .
On April 15, the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco was robbed by the SLA. This was the first crime that Patty committed with the SLA. Security cameras captured the robbery with audio from Patty saying "This Tania Patricia Hearst " (pg. 24). She had a shoulder-strapped carbine machine gun and a wig during the robbery. The robbery was the SLA showing the world that Patricia Hearst was now one of them and for many in the public it worked. People who believed in Patty lost faith and looked at her as a criminal of the SLA. After the robbery, the SLA moved their headquarters to Los Angeles because of how high their "wanted " level was in the Bay Area. In Los Angeles, Patty, Bill Harris, and Emily Harris went around stealing at local stores. The third store they were at was Mel's Sporting Goods. Bill and Emily went inside the store while Patty stayed in the van to keep watch. Bill and Emily got caught and were being detained by store employees, which led to a controversial moment in many people's eyes. She could either fire rounds and save Bill and Emily, or ditch them and become saved.
