BANK ROBBERIES
Our Latest Statistics
05/16/07
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This
unknown man is being sought in the April
20 robbery of a bank in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
Read
more about it. |
This past week, there were two major crimes
that were both shocking, but for very different
reasons.
In
Bessemer, Alabama, a bank robber gunned down
two tellers and took a third hostage before
being shot by police. Last Thursday, just
outside Columbia, South Carolina, gunmen made
off with a sizeable stash from an armored
car while it was stopped at a gas station.
Bank
robberies may seem old-fashioned in this age
of high-tech heists, but they continue to
take a serious, sometimes deadly toll on local
communities and businesses. Our Bank Crime
Statistics report for 2006, now posted on
this website along with figures for 2005,
provides an in-depth look at the overall problem,
with an eye towards preventing future incidents.
Our
reportwhich provides breakdowns by state
and regioncovers robberies, burglaries,
and larcenies from federally insured banks,
credit unions, savings and loan associations,
and armored car companies, along with bank
extortions.
An
overview of the 2006 numbers:
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Total
violations: 7,272, up slightly from
6,957 in 2005.
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Loot
stolen: More than $70 million worth
of cash, checks, and other property, with
$11.2 million recovered by law enforcement
to date.
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The
prime time for bank robberies: Between
9 and 11 on Tuesday mornings, which edged
out Wednesday from 11 to 1 p.m. and Fridays
from 3 to 6 p.m.
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Most
likely target: Branch offices of metropolitan
commercial banks.
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Their
modus operandi: Firearms were involved
1,855 times; demand notes were used almost
4,000 times.
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Acts
of violence: Were committed in 329,
or 4.5%, of the 7,272 violations. Of the
13 total deaths, 10 were the perpetrators.
The
bottom line of these stats: To help solve
bank robberies and prevent future ones. We've
collected descriptive data on bank robberies
since 1970, making it available to field agents
to use in their investigations. At the same
time, the information helps financial institutions
know what to look for and to shore up security
accordingly.
Our
role. We've been chasing down bank robbers
and solving major heists since the days of
John Dillinger and "Baby Face" Nelson.
In the early days we supported local authorities;
in 1934, however, it became a federal crime
to rob any national bank or state member bank
of the Federal Reserve System. The law was
expanded to include bank burglary, larceny,
and similar crimes against federally insured
savings and loans and federal credit unions,
with jurisdiction delegated to the FBI.
Today,
with more resources focused on terrorism and
other national security priorities, we work
with our state and local counterparts through
our Violent Crimes Task Forces to better leverage
our limited resources. We also continue to
provide financial institutions with security
best practices to make them less vulnerable
to robberies.
Note:
The individual pictured here may have been
apprehended or may no longer be wanted by
law enforcement since the above information
was posted on this website. Please check our
Wanted by the FBI website
or contact your
local FBI office for up-to-date information.
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