Posted by
BLOGASSAULT on Sunday, December 20, 2009 9:58:40 AM
There have been
a string of bank robberies in the Denver area over the last week, bring the total to 14. The police say they are not connected, but a couple of them might have been done by the same person. I would have to disagree with that assessment, though. I think they are all related, and here is why. It is obviously far to easy to walk into a bank and commit a robbery, and I believe those that desperate enough to do such a thing are realizing that.
Consider this; when was the last time you saw a uniformed gaurd in a bank? Obviously, banks are competing for your dollars and they have to compete by bringing costs down, but they don't seem interested in protecting those dollars from thiefs anylonger. And what is being taught to tellers is just give them the money, don't be a hero. There is some truth to that of course, but it is sending the wrong message to criminals; rob are banks, we are not going to stop you.
So here is my solution to the problem: arm the employees. Each employee that has direct access to the cash should be armed and trained in the use of the weapon they carry. They could be carried openly or concealed, and it should be posted on the front door that there are armed employees in the building. I believe once you institute these changes, potential bank robbers will at least think twice before deciding to steal what it is now easy money. Each bank could decide their own individual policy on who has the weapons, and how or even if they would ever use them. But one thing it would do is send a message that all banks have armed personel and they are trained to use it.
It is, obviously, far too easy to steal money from a bank, and since their policies require that they hand the money over to avoid anyone getting hurt, we are actually creating criminals through our behavoir. If we are not going to do the right thing and protect what is ours, well, expect someone to take it.