Police Commissioner Kelly on Bank Robberies' Rise

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly covered the rise in bank robberies across the city, laying some blame on how many branches are open longer and have more welcoming atmospheres--like barrier-less tellers, “Now they look like living rooms and they are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s their business plan. If they think that is how they are going to make money fine. We also think that they have an obligation to the public at large, to protect them and use these practices that have worked in the past.” CityRoom points out that the Midtown bank where a robber struck yesterday has its tellers behind thick glass.

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By Jen Chung in News on November 26, 2008 2:49 PM

Comments [rss]

jaycjay

"ALWAYS has a uniformed NYPD officer in there just watching the place. What's that about? I assume the bank pays for that."

You're right; they're paying the cop.. that is, they're not paying the city to have the cop there, he's working at the bank while off duty.

Under NYPD guidelines, cops can moonlight in uniform while working for a couple hundred specifically approved companies. Most of the cops at Yankee Stadium during games, for example, are on the team's payroll at the time, not the city's.

DarkGemini

That robbery earlier today (Or was it yesterday?), the guy took, what, a bit over $1000? That's pretty close to his share of the $700B, right?

Just sayin'

JenChungsBaby

No, it is the responsibility of an establishment like a bank to create a secure environment. Kelly is right that if you open the place up like they do you encourage bank robbers. It's a bank -- there's a lot of cash there. You can't count on the NYPD to do it for you.

That being said, the Commerce/TD Bank on the corner of B'way and 95th ALWAYS has a uniformed NYPD officer in there just watching the place. What's that about? I assume the bank pays for that.

Wza

I agree with all the above.

ides_of_march

It takes a certain amount of balls to rob a bank. It doesn't take any balls to rob the taxpayers.

If he's worried about thievery, Kelly should lock up most of Wall Street and congress.

Spirit of 76

Is this what he has repeated over and over for the last few years? Hey, Commish, wrong is wrong. Maybe you'd like to blame women for rapes because more of them aren't wearing chastity belts.

ides_of_march

Give the bank robbers a medal. They're just taking back the money the banks are now stealing from the taxpayers with politicians acting as their getaway drivers.