Results tagged “bankrobberies”

At first, cops thought that a series of 15 bank robberies over a two-month period was committed by one incredibly industrious thief. But yesterday the police arrested a pair of brothers for the crimes.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly wants TD Bank to increase its security: The Daily News reports that he sent the bank a letter criticizing the bank's "friendly" atmosphere (like robber-friendly) lack of bandit barriers, "It is simply unacceptable to put business decisions before public safety." The News adds, "As if to prove Kelly's point, a prolific thief successfully robbed $1,000 from a TD branch on Ninth Ave. Monday - after being rebuffed at three Chase branches" (the Chase branches do have barriers between the customer and tellers). Apparently 17% of this year's bank robberies occurred at TD Bank branches, but TD Bank says, "We don't believe saying that we have a disproportionate amount of robberies is a fair portrayal of us." The NYPD wants to see bandit barriers plus eye-level cameras and "countertops designed to leave clear fingerprints" at bank branches to help deter more bank robberies (which were up 57% last year).

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.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is blaming the uptick in robberies this year--265 through September 2, versus last year's 177 during the same period--on banks. A police source tells the Daily News, "The new thing with banks is to be 'friendly' to customers. Branches look like lounges - no glass partitions, no security guards. They are 'friendly,' all right - 'friendly' to thugs who 'withdraw' other people's money." Kelly wants banks to improve their security, a reprise of his request back in 2003 during another bank robbery boom time. The News also runs down the top three targeted banks: Wachovia, Commerce and Sovereign.