Why many bank robberies aren’t successful

23 July 2019

Category Security
23 July 2019, Comments Comments Off on Why many bank robberies aren’t successful

It’s everywhere in our culture: the imagery and idea of criminals robbing a bank as a quick way to get a lot of money. From Bonnie and Clyde to modern day criminals, and in decades of heist and crime movies, it’s been shown again and again. What these stories and movies don’t show us, though, is that most bank robberies don’t pay off. The security at play in banks is such that most robbers don’t even have a chance to get the money. Even if they do, they won’t get all that much and might not even be able to leave the bank. Once outside with the money, they’re likely to get caught.

It’s been a trope for decades that all it takes is a good crew and the job’s as good as done. But this discounts all of the relatively inexpensive and very effective bullet-resistant security measures that banks are able to work with. So, what makes sure that most bank robberies aren’t successful?

Bulletproof security systems

Almost every bank today has some level of bulletproof security system at play. Bulletproof glass is one of the most common elements of any security system that will be in place to stop a robbery. Now, bulletproof is the common terminology to use in order to refer to this type of glass, but in fact, the proper term to use is “bullet resistant” and many are made from acrylic, not actual glass.

Regardless of what they’re made of, bank windows are designed with stopping crime in mind. Bullet resistant glass is rated along a scale called the UL scale, a rating system that goes from one to eight. The higher the number, the more firepower it can stand up against. Higher numbers are higher cost, but a bank doesn’t necessarily have to have a huge amount of bulletproof protection to make sure that a robbery won’t be successful and their employees and funds can stay safe. The vast majority of robbery attempts are done with a handgun, and these are relatively weak against even the lowest level of UL rating. For a small investment in the design of a bank, a financial institution can give peace of mind and make sure no one can directly threaten tellers.

Door-locking bulletproof mechanisms

Past the windows that protect the tellers from robbery attempts, the bullet-resistant glass that also covers the doors of the bank forms a part of a security system that can lock a would-be thief into the building while waiting for the authorities to arrive. This system is activated by a teller from behind their layer of bulletproof glass, and locks the door mechanisms in place so that it’s impossible to leave. Surrounded by bulletproof glass that they can’t penetrate all around them, thieves are essentially trapped in place until the police arrive.

Most bank robberies are foiled before they start

Considering security when entering into a bank, it’s possible to be alerted to a robbery attempt before it even happens. Many banks have metal detectors that customers need to pass through before getting into the bank, with the door only unlocking once the detector doesn’t go off. If someone attempted to walk through this with a gun, they’d be locked into a bulletproof box before they could even enter the building.

This also takes into the account the deterring factor that having bulletproof security can give a bank or other financial institution. With the right level of security, criminals will know that they’re more than likely to fail in their attempt to rob the building. Without the prospect for success, they’ll give it up and banks will stay safe. If you want to be sure that a bank stays safe and deters crime, contact the experts at Creative Industries today and get the protection you need.