BANK ROBBERY PREVENTION

•Appointed Sheriff September 2005

•Appointed Undersheriff in 2003

•Started his career in 1981

•Over 24 years of Law Enforcement dedication to the citizens of Douglas County

•President/ Vice President for the Highlands Ranch Training Foundation

•Graduate of the FBI Academy with honors

Sheriff

David A. Weaver

BANK ROBBERY PREVENTION

Deputy Ron Hanavan

Deputy Cocha Heyden

Community Relations Unit

BANK ROBBERY

INTRODUCTION

• BANK ROBBERIES IN GENERAL:– LOS ANGELES “BANK ROBBERY CAPITAL OF

THE WORLD”

– MORE ROBBERIES THAN REST OF COUNTRY COMBINED

– 1991 LOS ANGELES HAD 2641 ROBBERIES OR ONE EVERY 42 MINUTES

– 1999 LOS ANGELES HAD 567 ROBBERIES

WHAT CHANGED IN LOS ANGELES?

• CLOSED QUITE A FEW BRANCHES

• HARDENED THE TARGETS e.g.:– BANDIT BARRIERS– ACCESS CONTROL DEVICES– PRONET TRACKERS (CURRENTLY GPS)– COOPERATION BETWEEN LAW

ENFORCEMENT AND CORPORATE SECURITY

CHANGES IN BANK ROBBERIES OVER TIME

• TWENTY YEARS AGO, ALMOST ALL BANK ROBBERS WERE HEAVY DRUG USERS

• TODAY, BANK ROBBERS ARE ROBBING JUST FOR THE MONEY

• BANK ROBBERS NORMALLY DID NOT ROB OR ASSAULT CUSTOMERS: NOW THIS IS COMMONPLACE

DEMAND NOTES

CHANGES IN BANK ROBBERIES OVER TIME

• NOTE JOBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH A GREATER USAGE OF GUNS

• BANK ROBBERS NOW USE MORE DISGUISES AND WEAR GLOVES

• EXAMPLE: BANDAGE BANDIT

INFLUENCES• MEDIA HAS AFFECT ON BANK ROBBERIES

– BARRY BORTNICK WROTE, “BANK JOBS: EASY MONEY” FOR COLO SPRINGS SUNDAY GAZETTE ON JAN 23, 2000

• COLO SPRINGS HAD IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN BANK ROBBERIES

– CHUCK GREEN WROTE, “ROBBING BANKS MAY BE EASIER THAN YOU THINK” FOR DENVER POST, MAY 2000

• DENVER EXPERIENCED 60% INCREASE IN ROBBERIES DURING 2000

– SOME ROBBERS GET THEIR IDEAS FROM MOVIES SUCH AS “SET IT OFF” AND “HEAT”

Background of Robberies

• Threat must continuously be reviewed because of its possibility for personal injury

• Most criminals are in a highly nervous or emotional state when committing robbery

• May be under the influence of drug or alcohol, mentally unbalanced, driven by peer group or gang pressures

• They may be desperate

• Must institute some sort of prevention program to assure safety, limit losses and support successful prosecution of offenders

Understanding the Threat

• There needs to be motivation, opportunity, and ability on part of perpetrator.

• Needs a reasonable expectation of escape, and low probability for detection and apprehension

• Robbers fall into three categories: the amateur, the intermediate, and the professional.

• Most of today’s robberies are the first two• Method of attack will vary

Profile of Typical Bank Robber

• Likely to be a young, repeat offender male• Usually unemployed• Statistically non-white as opposed to white• Most may be addicted to some type of controlled

substance• Most do not do a lot of “casing” of the bank before hand• Some use some type of disguise• One study identified that a weapon was threatened in

95% of the robberies reviewed. A weapon was actually observed 64% of the these cases. In 76% of these cases it was a handgun

ROBBER DESCRIPTIONS

PREVENTION

• DISPLAY FBI DECAL• ESTABLISH LIAISON WITH

SECURITY IN BUILDING• FIRST EMPLOYEE ARRIVING

– SURVEY THE OUTSIDE– CHECK INSIDE FOR ANYTHING OUT OF

PLACE

• KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS CLEAR

PREVENTION (cont’d)

• MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CASH IN DRAWER AND VAULT

• KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS• BE ALERT FOR SUSPICIOUS

PERSONS WHO MAY BE CASING YOUR BANK

• CHECK WORKMAN’S CREDENTIALS• SECURE VAULT AT END OF DAY

PREVENTION (cont’d)

• SECURE THE EXTERIOR DOORS

• AFTER CLOSING, ADMIT ONLY VERIFIED PERSONS

• LAST TO LEAVE, INSPECT THE PREMISES

• ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

DURING ROBBERY• STAY CALM• VICTIM SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE IN

IMPORTANCE– TELLERS ARE 40% MORE LIKELY TO BE

INJURED IF THEY RESIST

• FOLLOW ROBBER’S INSTRUCTIONS• EXPLAIN YOUR MOVEMENTS• TRY TO KEEP ROBBERY DEMAND NOTE

DURING ROBBERY (cont’d)

• NOTICE UNCHANGEABLE FEATURES OF ROBBER

• NOTICE HEIGHT AND BUILD

• OBSERVE METHOD OF ESCAPE– GET LICENSE PLATE IF POSSIBLE– GET DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE– GET DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

AFTER THE ROBBERY

• ROBBERY REPORTER– REPORT TO THE POLICE AND THE FBI– PRESERVE THE CRIME SCENE– DESIGNATE AN EMPLOYEE TO MEET

POLICE– FILL OUT ROBBERY FORM

AFTER THE ROBBERY (cont’d)

• POST ROBBERY COORDINATOR– LOCK THE DOORS– ADVISE EMPLOYEES/CUSTOMERS TO

STAY FOR INTERVIEW– CONTACT CORPORATE SECURITY– SET UP INTERVIEW ROOMS– FILL OUT WITNESS FORM

AFTER THE ROBBERY (cont’d)

• CRIME SCENE PRESERVER– SECURE REMAINING CASH– ISOLATE THE CRIME SCENE– SECURE SURVEILLANCE TAPE– FILL OUT WITNESS FORM

AFTER THE ROBBERY (cont’d)

• WITNESS COORDINATOR– INSURE WITNESSES DO NOT TALK TO

EACH OTHER– DO NOT ALLOW WITNESSES TO VIEW

VIDEOTAPE– GIVE WITNESS FORMS TO ALL

EMPLOYEES/CUSTOMERS– FILL OUT WITNESS FORM

DESCRIPTION OF ROBBER IN CREDIT UNION VIDEO

• W/M (25-30)• 5-10• 150• DARK BROWN/BLACK OVER EARS• EYES - D/S• COMP - FAIR• BUILD - MEDIUM• FACIAL HAIR - CLEAN SHAVEN• GLASSES - WIRE FRAMED AVIATOR SUNGLASSES• CLOTHING - GREEN LONG SLEEVED SHIRT, WHITE T-SHIRT,

– BLUE JEANS, BLACK SHOES• WEAPON - BLACK SEMI AUTO• BAG - WHITE CANVAS, WRITING ON BOTTOM• JEWELRY - GOLD NECKLACE• ACCENT - NONE• OVERALL APPEARANCE - CLEAN

QUESTIONS?