Pub. 4 2015 Issue 3

The CommunityBanker 8 or more than 15 years, I pursued a career as a self-em- ployed Addict, Drug Dealer, Gambler and Thief. I risked my life and sacrificed my family to satisfy my need for money, attention and independence. Ultimately, my dis- regard of values and discipline resulted in a 13 year Fed- eral Prison sentence. Following a six-month crime spree, which included five armed bank robberies in three states, my self-destructive lifestyle was brought to an end. Facing the obstacles, pressures and violence of prison life, I was determined that this time behind bars would not be wasted. I chose Education as my saving grace, despite the elimination of Federal Pell Grants for the incarcerated. Undeterred, I set out to secure funding on my own through scholarships, grants and founda- tion assistance. After six months of submitting applications, writing essays, begging, pleading and selling, I landed my first scholarship for one class. That was a beginning, and when I walked out the doors of prison, I carried with me two degrees, both obtained with a 4.0 GPA and placement on the Dean’s and President’s List. Obviously bank robbery is not as Hollywood portrays-it is not John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde and it is certainly not a crime that is committed by individuals who are living a glam- orous lifestyle. The people who are committing these crimes are strung out on drugs, they have a gambling debt to pay, or are about to lose their homes to foreclosure. This being the case, how do you “robber proof” your institutions? It starts with the support of senior management. You must create an environment in which a potential robber does not want to be. A robber will always take the past of least resistance. PREVENTION Having met and interviewed over 300 convicted bank rob- bers, I have identified a couple of common threads. The first is that every institution is cased. No potential robber comes into a town, approaches the very first financial institution they come across and makes a decision to rob that branch. The potential criminal is likely to take at least one of these steps: drive by several times deciding where to park their get-a-way vehicle; walk by the building a number of times trying to get a feel for its layout; enter the branch and request a roll of quarters for a $10 bill while they are checking out the facility; act as though they are filling out a deposit slip at the island only to walk back out as if they forgot something; meet with a loan officer under the guise of an interested borrower; or sit in nearby restaurant timing patrol cars and response time. The bottom line is that every institution is cased to some extent and employees need to be aware of suspicious activities—anything that is out of the ordinary. The majority of the people that come into your institutions are legitimate customers that you see every day, every week or every month. These are not the people that should concern you. Make it a policy that if any employee sees an individual they do not recognize enter your institution (and if they are not in the middle of some type of transaction), approach that individual, extend a hand, and say, “Thank you for visiting our branch. What can we do for you today?” That alone may keep the potential robber from choosing your institution—the last thing a criminal wants is someone looking them in the eye and getting a good description. Your legitimate customer will love it as fantastic customer service; potential robbers will deem that as reason enough to head down the road. APPREHENSION If you’ve done all that you can to prevent a robbery from occurring yet your institution is targeted, “be aware but don’t stare.” You have no idea what type of a person you are deal- ing with and you do not want to challenge or agitate the indi- vidual. Look for distinguishing marks or characteristics that make that individual stand out such as scars and tattoos. Take notice of even the slightest distinguishing marks or character- istics and relaying that information to law enforcement greatly enhances the chances for a quick apprehension. RECOVERY The first step to take immediately following a robbery is to lock the door. This eliminates the possibility of a hostage should the robber attempt to re-enter the institution after law enforcement arrives. Employees also should attempt to F From Desperation to Dedication: Robbery Prevention, Apprehension and Recovery through the Eyes of a Former Bank Robber By Troy Evans F E A T U R E