The situation just entered its upmost thrill, and youfeel that you just entered the point of no return. Do I run? Do I attack thebank robber? Do I stay calm? So many choices, and so many dangerous outcomes.I am telling you from personal experience, bank robbers are savages. They don’tcare about anyone but themselves and their dreams. Whether it is living theAmerican Dream or just scraping by to support your family, we all got dreams,and a bank robber is no different. I was also the dreamer type, but I set my bar way too high for my own good.
Myfuture vision and dream was to rob as many banks, to amass as much money Icould before leaving for MexicoEO1 .But I was never the fierce type. I had my own ways of robbing banks, quick inand out hits to perfection. But admittedly, my greed caught up to me and I tookmy sentence proudly after. Not to brag but my personal score of successful bankrobberies is a score that will stay unbeaten, not only was I the one performingthe robberies, but now I am the one lecturing the banks.I can finally stand here proudly and tell you that therehabilitation opened a new chapter of my life, a more lawful and educated manwith brighter dreams and a much brighter future.But there are not many like me in this business, mostare ruthless and operate resolutely.
Get in their way and you will feel theircommitment and dedication first hand. Like rats they chase their cheese, do notget in their way.That is why I, after serving my sentence fully dedicated my time to lecturingbanks on how to hinder and avert possible bank robberies and what you as ahostage should do when you find yourself in that positionEO2 . According to my research and personal experience, Ihave found that banks do not have any major precautions in case a bank robberyoccurs. This is a big problem, the surprise of a robbery can catch you offguard, and you would have to resort to spending some traumatic time togetherwith menacing bank robbers.Before heading in to precautions, we need to look atwhat bank robbers are primarily after. Aside from the big reward at the end ofthe hassle, they undergo careful planning and “nit-picking” of banks.
What crooksusually look for is basically confidence from the clerks. According toresearch, a simple hello from the clerk would instantly ring red bells allacross the mind of the crook.The ideal bank takes close inspection both in and out,singling out the perfect bank takes time, and the crook knows to be patient.But why do bank robbers get scared by a measly ‘hello’? The truth behind thebank robbers inside visit of the bank is very psychological, what he avoids areconfident and concentrated employees. If the customer was greeted with ahandshake, not only does that mean good service but also a big chance of theclerk remembering the face and voice of the customer. The most underrated precaution a bank could do is hire enthusiastic employees.
Outgoing employees that make a connection with the customer, as it is both thebank and the customers greatest interest. A simple hello accommodated with afirm handshake and eye contact could go very far. You can never go wrong withbuilding trust with your customers and maintaining the security of your complexEO3 . While it is true that most employees won’t everexperience a bank robbery, and the fact that money is becoming moredigitalized, this does not hinder the fact that it isn’t possibleEO4 .
In fact, the majority of banks getting robbed nowadays don’t take the necessaryprecautions. This has been seen in the RCA’s (root case analysis) where banks are pickedsolely based on their security level, an attractive bank is a vulnerable bank. Thanks to previous RCA’s, investigation process andrecords we can determine what kind of precautions a bank should undergo basedon criteria. Evidence for one is very important; every bank should be equipped with videosurveillance such as Closed-circuit television (CCTV). This type ofsurveillance is good information not only for the bank but the authorities.
Ithelps to identify the perpetrator, avert future robberies and is perfect forthe damage assessment. When I offer my services to banks, I always contact theChief Security Officer (CSO). The CSO and I go over standard procedures andequipment. For example, bulletproof glass installations, video surveillance andwhat the ground security is equipped with. In case of emergency, I advise the security to be equipped with both non-lethalweaponry and a lethal weapon.
The security has to be able to determine the typeof emergency, and he/she needs to respond with appropriate force. This is standard procedures as the Bank Protection Act requires all employeesand officers be trained annually on proper procedures for robberies. Lack oftraining has shown irresponsible and dangerous actions by employeesEO5 . A question I get asked a lot is “What should I doduring a robbery”. The simple answer is that it completely depends on the typeof robbery, a classic “take-over” robbery where perpetrators in groups enterthe bank with intimidation is very different from note passing robberies.Appropriate training comes in very handy, if the teller knows what to do duringthe note passing robbery no one will be hurt, however if the teller treats therobbery as a joke or starts bringing attention to the robbery, things might getout of hand quickly. The note passing robbery should go as smoothly andsilently as possible, the robber must be treated like a normal customerEO6 .Even though most bank robbers only carry a weapon for intimidation and nointent to use it, you should alwaystreat the gun as if it is loaded.
I myself only carried unloaded guns, butfinding yourself on the other side of the barrel expecting a gun to be unloadedis the dumbest thing you could ever do. Let the bank robbers finish what theystarted, the less problems; the faster it goes.The most important thing hostages should do during robberies is to find distinctidentifying marks on the robber, e.g. scars or tattoos. Evidence like thismakes the chances of finding and convicting the perp even higher as the CCTVdoesn’t pick up everything.
Staying calm during a robbery is the best thing ahostage could do, the most valuable asset a takeover bank robber has is theleverage. The leverage from their hostages. The police will not conclude any hastily decisions as long as the bankrobbers have leverage.
For all they know, the bank robbers could startthreatening the police with inflicting harm towards the hostages if they try togo in. This is why staying calm and trying to get as much evidence as possible is thetop priority during a bank robbery. Trying to identify the things that standout; perhaps the robber walks funny, or maybe one of them talks like Kermit thefrog.
Many cases have been based on the distinct characteristics of the robbers, tattoosand scars being the most commonEO7 . In conclusion, I want you to remember that bankrobbers are like rats, the banks being their cheese. The more precautions youtake, the mouldier the cheese getsEO8 .
I have realized during my time that the craft of cheesemaking takes time anddedication. That is why I aspire in life to make the mouldiest cheese a bankrobber would ever lay their eyes on.So, the next time someone tries to rob a bank, rest assured it will lookunattractive and that my personal score will stay unbeatenEO9 .
