Texas Banking - March 2002

BANK ROBBERIES: What are the trends and how can we keep their banks safe
By Romona Paden, comtributing writer for Texas Banking

Ten years ago when Troy Evans gave his deposit slip to a teller, it included the words "This is a holdup." Evans, an average-built then 28-year old white male who describes himself at the time as being "strung out on drugs," got away with thousands of dollars. And though pictures of the multiple robberies he committed were broadcast on local news, it wasn't until a friend turned him in that he went to jail for the crime. Little more than seven years behind bars and two bachelor's degrees later, Evans still has bank robbery on his mind. But this time it's to prevent more crimes like the ones he committed from taking place.
Evans turning to bank robbery in order to support a drug habit fits the profile of most bank robbers, said Darren Holmes. Holmes is an agent on the bank robbery investigation team and a spokesperson for the San Antonio office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

FBI numbers show that from 1999 to 2000, Texas bank robberies jumped by 48 percent to a total of 331. Some say the number of bank robberies will continue to increase with the economic downturn, pervasive drug use in society as well as growing accessibility to gambling. Although Holmes said the FBI doesn't have figures to support this theory, he does say each bank robbery has his own set of "personal circumstances."

Regardless of the reasons behind bank robbery, both law enforcement and banking officials say it's wiser to be prepared for a robbery than to sit idly with fingers crossed. The proactive stance translates into looking at banks from a robbers point of view.
"Who better to talk to a group of bankers than a bank robber," said Evans, who is now president and CEO of The Evans Group L.L.C., a Phoenix-based seminar and training company.

Looking over a bank and getting a feel for how hard or easy a holdup would be is the first step a robber takes. This means getting a feel for how the bank is laid out, whether or not there's a security guard or other obstacle and also the getaway route.
"There's always casing to some extent," Evans said.

But the level of scrutiny robbers' take varies. For many, it may simply involve going into the lobby, filling out a deposit slip and then leaving. For those robbers in the professional category, a closer look at the potential mark and its operations is taken. This means even to the point of clocking when law enforcement comes by and/or sitting down with a loan officer and discussing finances.

During the pretense of business, said Evans, "they're aware of what's going on around them." Depending on what the crook sees determines whether or not a particular bank will be a target."Bank robbers always choose the path of least resistance," he said.

The difference between amateurs and professionals is the in the level of effort robbers' put into making the crime go as smoothly as possible for them. Noting the difference in the types of bank robbers is important to financial institutions as the level of danger goes up with novice crooks. Amateurs, Evans said, are the most "unstable and dangerous", making them more likely to panic and to possibly use their guns.

Making a bank an unattractive target is the most fundamental ingredient of any institution's robbery security plan. The problem, Evans said, is many bankers deal with robberies as an afterthought-when the damage has already been done.
The bottom line in prevention is that there has to be an immediate threat to the robber. The best way to do this, said Evans, is to ensure a male presence.

Speaking from his own experience, Evans said having a "male presence was one of the most significant deterrents."
Whether a male security guard or teller is available for scheduling or not should deter the effort here. Bankers ought to be open to utilizing loan officers or other bank personnel by having them work in the lobby area.

Even if this is not feasible all the time, a quick look at FBI stats shows there's a huge benefit associated with consciously staffing the lobby properly for at least part of the time. An overwhelming 93 percent of robberies take place on Fridays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The criminal mind, Evans said, has mistakenly concluded banks keep more money on hand on Fridays because of payroll checks.

Aside from staffing, prevention comes in the form of training. This, more than anything, entails being on the lookout for suspicious activity. In other words, it's taking notice when unfamiliar people walk into and out of the bank without conducting business or only limited business like bringing in coins.

"The people to be suspicious of are the people they've never seen before," he said.

Another point of observation includes seeing when someone appears to be watching the bank from a nearby restaurant and taking notes. The license plates of suspicious vehicles driving around the bank should likewise be written down.

The apprehension portion comes into play as the crime itself is taking place. Bank personnel should be observant of the robber so as to give police height, and clothing descriptions. While no one should stare at a bank robber, thereby adding even more tension to the situation, it's likewise important to note any distinguishing marks, scars or particular physical characteristics.
The first step after a robbery takes place is to lock the doors. This is at the top of the list because the fear is the robber would panic at the sight of police officers and look for refuge back inside the bank. By having the doors locked, it avoids a potential hostage situation.

Given that the bank is secured, employees should likewise be watching which way the robber flees. It's also vital to have both employees and customers immediately write down everything they observed.

Recovery of the stolen money is almost contingent on giving police the information they need in order to apprehend the criminal quickly. According to statistics, Evans said, chances of recovery drop to less than 10 percent if the robber is not caught within 24 hours.

Implementing a training program to deter or minimize the damage done by bank robberies is not enough, said Barry Thompson, managing partner of Thompson Consulting Group in Oswego, NY. The bank security specialist is a teaching partner with Security Education Systems in Pipe Creek.

Training, said Thompson, needs to be an ongoing part of bank culture. The failure of executives to follow through on this is that sporadic training promotes a false sense of security. And, if turnover at an institution is particularly high, the chances for not being prepared for a robbery go up.

Besides training, alarm systems also need to be looked at. Tellers' hidden alarm buttons, for instance, need to be designed to allow "natural movement," said Thompson. Some antiquated systems, he said, require tellers to get their toe under the button and pull it up. A device such as this that promotes such an awkward movement should be replaced with a system using the more natural push movement.

But while training and technology are among the best defenses in bank robbery protection, the damage left in the wake of a robbery also needs to be addressed. And the damage leaves more than financial loss. For victim tellers, said Thompson, there's a huge psychological impact in losing the "ability to control their destiny for a moment." Because of this, all security plans should include access to counseling services.

By Romona Paden, comtributing writer for Texas Banking