Here’s the FBI’s latest data on robberies of financial institutions for the first three months of 2008.
| Type of Institution |
Robberies | % |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial bank | 1,399 | 87.2% |
| Mutual savings bank | 32 | 1.9% |
| Savings and loan | 41 | 2.6% |
| Credit union | 132 | 8.2% |
| TOTAL | 1,604 | 100% |
| Mode of Robbery | # |
|---|---|
| Demand note used | 947 |
| Firearm used | 405 |
| Handgun | 381 |
| Other firearm | 26 |
| Other weapon used | 25 |
| Weapon threatened | 702 |
| Explosive device used or threatened | 52 |
| Oral demand | 875 |
| Vault or safe theft | 18 |
| Deposit trap | 3 |
| Till theft | 24 |
| Type of Area | Robberies | % |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan | 809 | 49.3% |
| Suburban | 250 | 15.2% |
| Small city or town | 545 | 33.2% |
| Rural | 37 | 2.3% |
Alarm Systems
Alarm systems were installed and maintained in 96.2% of all institutions robbed. Of those, they were activated 92.7% of the time, meaning that in 61 robberies the alarm wasn’t activated. Thirteen times an alarm was activated but it didn’t work.
Key Question: In this day and age, how can any bank or credit union not have an alarm system (that works)?
Surveillance Cameras
Cameras were installed in all but 23 institutions that were robbed. In 44 instances, cameras were installed but not activated. Seven times cameras were installed but failed to capture the crime.
Loot Taken: $16 million
Loot Recovered: $2.3 million
Key Takeaways:
- The presence of anti-robbery measures only reduces robberies — it does not prevent them.
- Anti-robbery systems do not work all the time.
- Expect robberies to increase sharply as the economy worsens.