With the onset of the pandemic, and many workers around the world finding themselves furloughed, displaced, or classified as “non-essential”, many security experts predicted the potential for an uptick in crime including bank robberies.

Even as banks deal with the fallout of the pandemic, bank robberies on the whole since Covid-19 are actually down. And while banks have always denied access to people wearing masks, the challenge posed by mask wearing during the pandemic has invited a greater security risk to banks, according to Paul Benda, Senior Vice President for Risk and Cybersecurity Policy at the American Bankers Association.

Banks across the nation have had to adapt to this longstanding policy and rule against mask wearers inside their lobbies. However, with mask mandates and other PPE suggested protocols like cleaning (sanitizing) public spaces regularly, patrons wearing gloves, the new normal could also be a criminal’s dream. As many retail business and security experts cautioned these new policies to curb COVID would indeed allow criminals to hide in plain sight. In many instances, bank robbers across the country are making use of the opportunity and are donning traditional Covid-19 face coverings.

In order to comply with many federal, state, municipal or CDC guidelines related to social distancing, many banks closed their lobby areas to service by appointment only. This cut down significantly on in bank traffic. And locked doors were standard operating procedures. Yet despite this, somehow the odds are seemingly being stacked more in the bad guy’s favor. 

Imagine if you were with a client inside of a bank and a robbery took place. The bank robbers put a gun in the tellers’ faces and ordered everyone on the floor. What would you do? Would you engage the bank robbers? Or would you allow the robbery to proceed uninterrupted?

Remain Calm and Comply
My recommendation is to follow the instructions of the bank robbers. Do not be compelled to offer to do more. That only opens up additional options for them to consider. You may think it is helping you win favor, but you may only be making yourself or your client a bigger target.  Even if you are armed, unless they are injuring and killing others, let them be. 

What Recent History Teaches Us
The majority of bank robberies occur on Friday between 3 – 6 PM.  The perpetrator is generally a male: 42% Black, 40% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Unknown. Or a female: 3% White and 3% Black.  The vast majority of robberies also take place at branch offices, followed by main offices.

According to FBI statistics the average bank take is $4,213.00.  The average heist lasts around 4 minutes, 16 seconds.  The majority of robberies last three minutes or less as criminals understand the longer there are in the bank the greater their chances of being captured increases.  Do nothing to get in the way of those 3 – 4 minutes.  Remember they came for the bank’s money not yours or your client’s. If your actions interrupt the timing and cause a delay to their plans, it may facilitate a standoff between the robbers and the police, which will probably result in a hostage situation and put significantly more people in harm’s way.

Nationally the average police response time is 11 minutes.  In Atlanta, where I live the average response time for Atlanta Police Department is 10 minutes.  However, the response time can be greatly influenced by the bank’s location and whether it is in a major commerce center, police substations or other items of municipality importance/significance.

In most heists, the robbers are not looking to hurt patrons. Most bank robberies are not like the movie HEAT with guns a blazing. Only 3% of bank robberies result in violence. Instead, roughly 60% are simple “note jobs.” A robber stands in line, waits to see a teller, then quietly passes a note at the counter. It’s possible that most patrons are even unaware a robbery is taking place. When violence does take place 52% of the time the injures are sustained by bank employees, 31% of the time to customers, 10% of the time it is to the perpetrators, and 7% of the time it is to the guards. 

Time is on Your Side
Try to keep both yourself and your client calm and don’t be a hero.  If you need to move or retrieve something from a pocket to fulfill a demand of the bank robbers inform them of exactly what you are doing. Movement attracts attention and attention may attract gunfire or some other unwelcomed response in the form of violence. Stay calm this will be over sooner than you think, and the odds are without injury.

Be a Good Witness
If you can observe the robber without putting yourself in danger, be a good witness. Be extremely careful the robbers may have an accomplice mixed in with the other bank patrons. Make a mental note of what they are wearing, their features including race, age, height, hair, eye color, tattoos, or scars. Is there anything distinctive about their gait, speech, or mannerisms? If they have a weapon, was it a long gun or handgun. Did you see a vehicle, if so what type: car or SUV, color, make and model could you remember any of the numbers on the license plate or the state? Did it have a distinctive sounding muffler? Did you notice if they wore gloves, and do you recall what they touched which may aid in law enforcement dusting for prints? 

Your client’s and your personal safety are your top priority. After the ordeal is over if you don’t feel the area is secure, get your client out of the environment and to safety. This may also help you or your client from being an identifiable witness on the news if you are working with a high-profile client. You can always file a report at the police station later. Also, between the other witnesses, the bank cameras, retail store cameras, traffic light cameras etc., rarely do criminals make a clean get away.  The likelihood of catching a bank robber is higher than most crimes because bank robberies are reported quickly. In spite of the initial anxiety the odds are in your and the banks favor. In fact, 75% of bank robbers are caught, tried, and imprisoned. Situation will always ultimately determine the tactics, however the best way to guarantee winning a confrontation is to not have one. 

Stay safe everyone and remember the money is insured.

 

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The Anatomy of a Bank Robbery
By Mark “Six” James

Mark “Six” James is Founder and Executive Director of Panther Protection Services, LLC.  He is an internationally published author, keynote speaker, security consultant to educational institutions and frequent contributor to several print, broadcast and online media.  Panther Protection Services is a full-service protection agency focusing on Risk and Crisis Mitigation, Protective Services, Self-Defense Training, and Firearm Instruction. 
www.pantherprotectionservices.com