Pub. 4 2015 Issue 3

9 F A L L | 2015 Reach your target audience a ordably. advertise get results KRIS MONTIONE Advertising Sales 727.475.9827 or 855.747.4003 kris@thenewslinkgroup.com observe the robbers route and means of escape, and then relay that information immediately to law enforcement via phone. In addition, and just as importantly, each and every individual who was involved in the robbery should immediately (and not 10, 20, or 30 minutes later) write down every single detail, description and impression involving that robbery. The most damaging testimony came from one teller who had taken it upon herself to immediately write down every description and detail that she could recall following the rob- bery—my hat and what kind it was; my sunglasses and what brand they were, my shirt and what was on it, my pants and what brand they were; and finally the brand and color of my shoes. When she took the stand and began describing these; my attorney leaned over and said, “You better take the plea they are offering, you will never overcome this testimony.” Make it policy at your financial institution that everyone in- volved in a robbery must immediately write down all impres- sions and descriptions as they are able to recall. SOME FINAL THOUGHTS Your frontline people are the most important and power- ful robbery deterrent you have. These individuals can keep you from being targeted. Make it a policy to meet and greet as many people as possible who come through your doors. You will end up pleasing your legitimate customers while scaring off any potential robbers. Because complacency can be your greatest enemy, I would encourage you to implement the following immediately. First, create a suspicious activities log. Supply every work- station with a journal or notebook—something within reach where a quick note can be written if that person sees something out of the ordinary or someone they do not recognize. Manage- ment should review these notebooks weekly, if not daily. If a pattern is detected, then your institution may have been cased for a robbery and appropriate measures should be taken. Second, have all employees sign a “non-disclosure” form. One of the reasons I was successful as a bank robber was the fact that I had at one time dated a teller. I knew about bait money, dye packs, second drawers, tracking devices, when money was counted, and so forth. Little did she know at the time that she was providing me with valuable information that I would later utilize as a bank robber. Require all of your employees to sign a “non-disclosure” form indicating that they will not share with anyone (family included) the policies of your institution surrounding security, procedures, and train- ing. Explain that if the information fell into the wrong hands, it could someday be used against them in a robbery situation. About the Author: Troy Evans is a Professional Speaker and Author who resides in Phoenix. He can be reached at 602-206-5261, or via email at troy@ troyevans.com. Read more about Evans at www.troyevans.com . You can also see Troy’s new robbery prevention, apprehension and recovery DVD/CD ROM that is being used as a training tool for financial institutions at http://www. troyevans.com/audio-video/ Troy will be a featured speaker at VACB’s Annual Convention in Williamsburg. F E A T U R E