|
|
|
||||
|
Return to Article List Return to Article Search Email this page to a friend |
From Desperation to Dedication: Insights of a Former Bank RobberNovember 2007 Troy Evans, The Evans Group For over 15 years, I pursued a “career” as an addict, drug dealer, gambler and bank robber. I risked my life and sacrificed my family to satisfy my need for money, attention and independence. Ultimately my disregard of values and discipline resulted in a 13-year federal prison sentence. Facing prison life, I was determined that my time behind bars would not be wasted. I set out to secure funding for education through scholarships, grants and foundation assistance. After six months of submitting applications, writing essays, begging, pleading and selling, I landed my first scholarship for a single class. That was the beginning. Eventually, when I walked out the doors of prison, I carried with me two degrees, both obtained with a 4.0 grade point average. Since my release, I have been providing financial institutions with real-life insight surrounding robbery prevention, apprehension and recovery. By giving you a look into the “mind of the enemy,” I am confident that the following suggestions, if implemented, will: · Dramatically decrease the chance of your financial institution’s being targeted for a robbery; · Increase the chances of a quick apprehension of the assailant(s) in the event of robbery; · Aid in a speedy and full recovery of monies taken. How do you “robber proof” your institutions? It starts with the support of senior management, which needs to create an environment that the would-be robber wants to pass up. A robber will always take the path of least resistance! Prevention Having met and interviewed more than 300 convicted bank and credit union robbers, I found a couple of common threads. First, every institution is “cased” to some extent. No potential robber enters a town, approaches the first financial institution he or she comes across, and decides to rob that facility. Instead, the robber cases the institution. Some techniques are: driving by several times to decide where to park the getaway vehicle; walking by several times to get a feel for the layout; asking a teller for a roll of quarters in exchange for a $10 bill in order to check out the layout; or walking to the island, pretending to fill out a deposit slip, then feigning having forgotten something and walking back out. More sophisticated techniques are to talk with a loan officer under the guise of inquiring about a loan, or sitting in a nearby restaurant, timing patrol cars and response times. The bottom line is that every institution is cased to some extent, and employees need to be aware of anything out of the ordinary. The majority of the people who come into your institutions are legitimate customers that you see every day, week or month. These are not the people you need to worry about; you need to worry about the people you have never seen before. Make it a policy that if an employee sees an unknown individual enter your institution, the employee should approach that individual, extend a hand and say, “Thank you for visiting our branch. What can we do for you today?” That greeting alone can keep the potential robber from choosing your institution … the last thing he or she wants is the opportunity for an employee to get a good description. Plus, your legitimate customers will view these greetings as fantastic customer service. The second common thread I found in interviewing convicted robbers was that male presence is a deterrent. Potential robbers do not want someone around who may play “Joe Hero” and thwart the crime. In my past, I walked into dozens of institutions with every intent of committing a robbery, only to change my mind based on male presence. Though you may have trouble keeping constant male presence in your institution, if at no other time, you need male presence on Fridays from I have a two-pronged theory as to why Friday mornings are ripe for robberies. First, there is a mistaken belief that there is more money in banks and credit unions on Fridays. You know this is not true, but the public believes it, because Friday is payday for many people. The second part of the theory is that drugs are the driving force behind 60 percent to 70 percent of all robberies. The addicts’ thinking is that if they do not commit their crimes on Friday, the “cash cow” is going to be closed for two days, meaning their habit cannot be fed over the weekend. They have been building up their nerve throughout the week and finally realize, “This is the day. I have to do it.” Apprehension What if you have done all that you can to prevent a robbery from taking place at your institution, yet still you are targeted? Remember the phrase, “Be aware, but don’t stare.” Because you have no idea what type of a person you are dealing with during a robbery, you do not want to challenge or agitate the individual. But you do want to look for distinguishing marks or characteristics that make that individual stand out — scars, tattoos, etc. When I was finally apprehended, the FBI told me that my cases had been filed away as unsolvable. The FBI had photos and ran them in local However, if the tellers involved in those robberies would have noticed that I have one ear that sticks out a little further than the other, or that the fingernail digit of my middle finger on my right hand is crooked due to its having been cut off when I was young and reattached incorrectly, perhaps those traits could have been broadcast along with the photos. Then maybe the guy who checked me in at the hotel that evening would have recognized me. If you relay to law enforcement even the slightest distinguishing marks or characteristics, the chances for a quick apprehension are enhanced. Recovery Immediately following a robbery, your first step is to lock the door to eliminate the possibility of a hostage situation should the robber re-enter the institution. In the best-case scenario, the robber’s route and means of escape are observed and relayed to law enforcement. Another important step is that every individual who was present at the robbery needs to sit down immediately and write out every detail, description and impression surrounding the event. Not 10, 20 or 30 minutes later, but immediately. After my apprehension, the most damaging testimony during trial came from a teller who, immediately following the robbery, had taken it upon herself to write out every description and detail that she could recall — my hat and what kind it was; my sunglasses and what brand they were; my shirt and what it said; my pants and what brand they were; and the brand and color of my shoes. When she took the stand and started detailing these observations, my attorney leaned over to me and said, “You’d better take the plea they are offering. You will never overcome this testimony.” Make it policy at your institution that everyone involved in a robbery immediately writes down all impressions and descriptions. Some Final Thoughts The frontline people are your most important and powerful deterrents to a potential robber; they and they alone can keep you from being targeted. Take a page out of the Wal-Mart book, and make it a policy to meet and greet as many people as possible who come through your doors. Not only will this practice deter robbers, but your legitimate customers will love it. If nothing else, I would encourage you to implement the following two policies immediately: · Keep a suspicious activities log at every workstation. It could be a piece of paper, journal or notebook — anything suitable for jotting down a quick note if employees see something out of the ordinary or someone they do not recognize. Management should review these notes at least weekly. If a pattern is detected, or if several employees are noticing the same unusual behavior, there is a good chance that your institution is being cased for a robbery. · Have everyone at your branch sign a non-disclosure form. One reason I was successful at robbing banks was that I had at one time dated a teller. She told me about bait money, dye packs, second drawers, tracking devices, when money was counted, etc. — little did she know that she was providing me with valuable information for robbing banks. Have all of your employees sign a non-disclosure form indicating that they will share with no one (family included) the policies of your institution surrounding security, procedures, training, etc. Potential robbers out there have enough information already; do not provide them with anything additional that they can use against you. Hoosier Banker articles are published by the Indiana Bankers Association. With the exception of official announcements, the Indiana Bankers Association disclaims responsibility for opinions expressed and statements made in the articles published in Hoosier Banker and/or appearing on the IBA website. Unless requested otherwise by the author in writing, all material published in Hoosier Banker and/or on the IBA website is the property of the Indiana Bankers Association. |
|