Cops foil alleged bank robbery attempt in QC mall

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 09/02/2011 6:07 PM | Updated as of 09/03/2011 12:53 AM MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) An alleged bank robbery attempt in a Quezon City mall was foiled by police on Friday afternoon. The alleged bank robbers were arrested by police at the Banco de Oro branch in SM North EDSA, District Public Safety Battalion commander Senior Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita said. Ratuita said 4 men and 2 women were arrested. The banks security guard became suspicious when he noticed that the group had been lurking outside the bank since Friday morning. The guard immediately alerted police when 2 women, believed to be part of the group, entered the bank and attempted to open a bank account. The Philippine National Police clarified that the 6 arrested suspects in their custody will still undergo an investigation. Initial investigation showed that 2 other suspects are still at large. They allegedly escaped using a Starex van. Meanwhile, 4 other suspected getaway vehicles--a Black Nissan Navara, Toyota Corolla, Suzuki ATV and Toyota Avanza--that were parked across the bank were seized by police. Authorities said 2 of the vehicles had stickers and gate passes from Malacaang. It also had identification cards indicating that the owners of the vehicles could be employees of the Office of the President. However, police had yet to determine whether the identification cards are genuine. Three short firearms were also recovered from the vehicles, said Superintendent Audi Madrideo of the Quezon City Police District Station 2. Ratuita said the arrested suspects were brought to Camp Caringal for further investigation. In a statement, BDO said it will cooperate with the investigation.

The bank has always been vigilant and we implement stringent measures to protect the safety of our clients. We will cooperate with authorities and assist them in any way possible, BDO said. -- Reports from Johnson Manabat, dzMM; Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
Bank robbery law US

(a) Whoever, by force and violence, or by intimidation, takes, or attempts to take, from the person or presence of another, or obtains or attempts to obtain by extortion any property or money or any other thing of value belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management, or possession of, any bank, credit union, or any savings and loan association; or Whoever enters or attempts to enter any bank, credit union, or any savings and loan association, or any building used in whole or in part as a bank, credit union, or as a savings and loan association, with intent to commit in such bank, credit union, or in such savings and loan association, or building, or part thereof, so used, any felony affecting such bank, credit union, or such savings and loan association and in violation of any statute of the United States, or any larceny Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. (b) Whoever takes and carries away, with intent to steal or purloin, any property or money or any other thing of value exceeding $1,000 belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management, or possession of any bank, credit union, or any savings and loan association, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; or Whoever takes and carries away, with intent to steal or purloin, any property or money or any other thing of value not exceeding $1,000 belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management, or possession of any bank, credit union, or any savings and loan association, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (c) Whoever receives, possesses, conceals, stores, barters, sells, or disposes of, any property or money or other thing of value which has been taken or stolen from a bank, credit union, or savings and loan association in violation of subsection (b), knowing the same to be property which has been stolen shall be subject to the punishment provided in subsection (b) for the taker. (d) Whoever, in committing, or in attempting to commit, any offense defined in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, assaults any person, or puts in jeopardy the life of any person by the use of a dangerous weapon or device, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty-five years, or both. (e) Whoever, in committing any offense defined in this section, or in avoiding or attempting to avoid apprehension for the commission of such offense, or in freeing himself or attempting to free himself from arrest or confinement for such offense, kills any person, or forces any person to accompany him without the consent of such person, shall be imprisoned not less than ten years, or if death results shall be punished by death or life imprisonment. (f) As used in this section the term bank means any member bank of the Federal Reserve System, and any bank, banking association, trust company, savings bank, or other banking institution organized or operating under the laws of the United States, including a branch or agency of a foreign bank (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 1(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978), and any institution the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (g) As used in this section the term credit union means any Federal credit union and any Statechartered credit union the accounts of which are insured by the National Credit Union Administration Board, and any Federal credit union as defined in section 2 of the Federal

Credit Union Act. The term State-chartered credit union includes a credit union chartered under the laws of a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States. (h) As used in this section, the term savings and loan association means (1) a Federal savings association or State savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 (b))) having accounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and (2) a corporation described in section 3(b)(1)(C) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 (b)(1)(C)) that is operating under the laws of the United States. LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.

Cavite bank robbery-turned-hostage taking ends with suspects surrendering

By: Agence France-Presse October 13, 2011 3:06 PM MANILA, Philippines -- Armed robbers in Cavite who held eight people hostage at a bank released all their captives unharmed and surrendered after a stand-off lasting more than two hours, authorities said. Four gunmen were robbing the bank in Bacoor city, just outside the Philippine capital, when responding policemen arrived. The gunmen then seized eight bank workers, national police spokesman Agrimero Cruz said. They initially set free one of the hostages who had a health problem, then released all the others unharmed shortly before 3 p.m., Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla said on television. "They have all come out and they have released all their hostages," Revilla said. "We had negotiations and the robbers were OK. They were calm and our negotiations had the right result." (With reports from Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com)

Bank robbery law US

134 Bank RobberyGeneral Overview 9

Title 18, section 2113 of the United States Code is the Federal criminal bank robbery statute Section 2113 outlines and defines prohibited criminal conduct vis-a-vis federally protected financial institutions and concomitant penalties.

Subsection (a) prohibits the taking or attempted taking by force, intimidation, or extortion, any property, money or any other thing of value belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management or possession of any bank, credit union, or savings and loan association, which are defined in 2113(f), (g), and (h), respectively. Furthermore, anyone who enters or attempts to enter any building used in whole or in part as a bank, credit unio or savings and loan association with the intent to commit any felony affecting such financia institution or any larceny is subject to a fine, twenty years imprisonment or both.

Subsection (b) outlines the penalties for anyone who takes and carries away, with the inten to steal or purloin, any property or money or any thing of value in the care, custody, contro management, or possession of any bank, credit union, or savings and loan. The maximum penalty for violation of this subsection is a fine and ten years imprisonment if the value of the property exceeds $100. The maximum penalty is a fine and one year imprisonment if th property's value is $100 or less.

Subsection (c) makes it a crime to knowingly receive, possess, conceal, store, barter, sell or dispose of any property, money, or any thing of value which has been taken or stolen from bank, credit union, or savings and loan association. Violators of this subsection are subjecte to the penalties provided in subsection (b), supra, for the taker.

Subsection (d) states that anyone who assaults any person, or puts in jeopardy the life of an person by the use of a dangerous weapon or device while committing any offense described in subsections (a) or (b) is subject to a fine and up to twenty-five years imprisonment. Toy weapons and hoax bomb devices fall within the purview of this subsection.

Subsection (e) provides penalties for anyone who kills another person or forcibly abducts another during the commission of any offense previously described in 2113, or while avoiding or attempting to avoid apprehension for the commission of, or attempting to free himself from arrest or confinement for such offense. The statutory minimum penalty for violation of subsection (e) is ten years. If death results during the criminal episode, the statute provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment. See USAM 9-10.000 et. seq. for the requirements relating to the death penalty.

Subsection (f) defines the term "bank." A bank includes any member bank of the Federal Reserve System, and any other banking association, trust company, savings bank operating under the laws of the United States, including a branch or agency of a foreign bank (as defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 1(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978), and any institution in which the deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or "FDIC". The term "credit union" is defined in subsection (g). A "credit union" includes any Federal credit union and any State-chartered credit union the accounts of which are insured by the National Credit Union Administration Board, and any "Federal Credit Union" as defined in section 2 of the Federal Credit Union Act.

Subsection (h) defines the term "savings and loan association." It includes any Federal savings association or State savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b)) having accounts insured by the FDIC and any corporation described in section 3(b)(1)(C) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b)(1)(c)) that is operating under the laws of the United States.

Lucena City shaken by daring bank robbery; 3 guards killed

By Delfin T. Mallari Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer LUCENA CITYThree bank guards were about to board an armored van when seven men wielding assault firearms suddenly alighted from a Toyota Revo and shot them. Two were killed on the spot while the third died in the hospital. Another guard, who was posted at the bank entrance, returned fire to stop the gunmen from entering the premises, forcing them to hurriedly escape. Although the heist was aborted, the brazenness of Thursday afternoons criminal attempt at the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) branch in front of the Saint Ferdinand Cathedral at the heart of Lucena Citys commercial district has shaken most residents. Suddenly, Quezons capital is no longer safe, or so they believe, as the shooting took place a block away from police headquarters. Mayor Ruby Talaga has recommended the immediate replacement of Supt. Ramon Balauag, the citys police chief for over a year, but Senior Supt. Valeriano de Leon, police provincial director, has yet to act on it. Were in the middle of the investigation. I will act on her request in due time, De Leon said. Facebook video A video clip taken with a cell phone camera showed the three guardsJoel Barrameda, Roland Consigna and Marlo de Guzmanon the way to the hospital. After it was uploaded on the Facebook page of Pasayahan sa Lucena, furious comments ensued, blaming the police for rising criminality in the city. Some defended the lawmen and called on the public to stay vigilant against criminals. One of them, Luisito Zoleta Guinto, appealed for sobriety and urged viewers to wait for results of the police investigation. Balauag brushed aside the charges. Compared to last year, the city crime rate this year is much lower, he said. The bank guards committed serious security lapses, Balauag said. Quoting other guards, he said the armored van had already been under suspicious surveillance for the past few days.

Citing witnesses, he said the passengers of the Toyota Revo had been monitoring bank activities from the parking lot inside the church compound right across the street. Inside job? We also found out that one of the slain guards was carrying a cell phone, which is a serious violation among armored van guards, Balauag said. He would not categorically say the robbery attempt was an inside job. But he added: Were looking into that angle. According to the police report, the banks officials had yet to confirm if the gunmen were able to take off with several duffel bags of money inside the van.

CCTV project The getaway vehicle was later found by authorities abandoned in Purok Riverside, Barangay Ibabang Dupay, a kilometer away. Police traced the owner as one Reynaldo Cruz of San Mateo town in Rizal. Bong Diaz, executive assistant to Mayor Talaga, said 14 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras would be installed in strategic areas to address the problem of rising criminality. Two more cameras would be placed at the monitoring center at City Hall. We want to strengthen the capability of our law enforcers in maintaining peace and order, he said. Bidding for the project worth P12 million will be held this month. Diaz said the cameras would also monitor traffic flow around the city to prevent the buildup of grid locks.

'No CCTV, no business permit' on 2013

The No CCTV, no business permit policy will be implemented in Quezon City starting January 2013. In an ordinance signed by QC Mayor Herbert Bautista, an installed CCTV system will be a requirement for new and existing business owners in securing their business permits starting next year. Mayor Bautista believes that business establishments, as much as their clients, will benefit from having a CCTV system, particularly in prevention and resolution of crimes. The local government will be strict in implementing this policy especially on banks, pawnshops, gas stations, malls, supermarkets and schools. The Quezon City Hall is likewise set to have CCTV systems in vital spots around the complex. This is apart from the planned P100 million worth of security cameras to be installed in major and secondary streets on the citys 142 barangays.

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RCBC Laguna Robbery - MOST HEINOUS BANK ROBBERY IN THE Philippines Laguna bank rob claims 10th fatality --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BY RAYMOND AFRICA THE Friday robbery of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. bank branch in Cabuyao, Laguna yesterday claimed the life of a 10th victim. PNP chief Avelino Razon sacked the towns police chief, Supt. Moises Pagaduan, who was transferred to the police regional headquarters in Southern Tagalog. He named Chief Insp. Wenceslao Anore officer in charge. Razon announced Pagaduans relief after a command conference during which the police officials were informed by Chief Supt. Ricardo Padilla, chief of the Southern Tagalog police, that RCBC branch manager Isagani Pastor died at around 10:35 a.m. at the St. James Hospital where he had been confined under heavy guard. Investigators were expecting to gather information from Pastor, being the lone survivor. Pastor had been shot in the head like the nine other victims, mostly bank employees. The robbers attacked before the bank opened for business. They destroyed the banks closed circuit television cameras and alarm system. Police recovered 17 spent shells for .45 caliber pistol, and several live bullets for M-16 rifle at the scene. Senior Supt. Felipe Rojas, Laguna provincial police director, said they have identified the suspects but refused to give names. He said two security guards reported missing after the heist are now under custody. Investigators have taken their sworn statements.

"Based sa initial interrogation namin, yung isa sa kanila ay credible, at yung isa naman ay maraming inconsistencies sa mga sinasabi niya," Rojas said. He identified the "inconsistent" guard as Lito dela Cruz, while the other, he said, was a certain "Sapul." A security guard was among the fatalities. Rojas also said the reward money is now P2 million, with half coming from RCBC. CLUSTERING SYSTEM Razon Jr. ordered Director Silverio Alarcio Jr., chief of the PNP directorate for operations, to revive the security clustering system in areas with banks and other commercial establishments. The system involves the deployment of a police team under a supervisor in the clustered areas. He also ordered police unit commanders to establish checkpoints even during daytime, especially during banking hours; chiefs of police to go out of their offices and personally lead these operations; and Alarcio to convene the Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Council and Bank Security Management Association. NO PLATE, NO TRAVEL Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, PNP spokesman, said among preventive measures being carried out is a more aggressive implementation of the "no plate, no travel" policy which also includes crackdown on illegal transfer of car plates, use of unauthorized commemorative and vanity plates, and unregistered vehicles. Investigators noted that bank robbers vehicle did not have license plates. "We ask for the cooperation of all motorists especially the owners of brand new units that have not been issued official car plates not to use their vehicles to avoid the inconvenience of being flagged down and

checked. We will strictly implement existing LTO (Land Transportation Office) regulations on the use of conduction stickers," Bartolome said. REVIVE DEATH PENALTY The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption called for the revival of the death penalty. Robbery with homicide should be listed among crimes punishable with death, said VACC chairman Date Jimenez. "These criminals are becoming bolder and bolder everyday not only as shown by the statistics but also by the method they employ in the commission of the crimes," he said. He said it was a "mistake" to repeal the death penalty law without having made sure first that the justice system "is strong and incorruptible." "Criminals are bolder because the justice system is corrupt," he said. The death penalty law was passed in 1994 and repealed two years ago. Jimenez said a factor blocking the re-imposition of capital punishment is corrupt officials. Plunder was among crimes punishable with death under the repealed law. With Ashzel Hachero

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_robbery Bank robbery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search

A masked man threatens a bank employee in this 1931 photo Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank while persons other than the perpetrator(s) are present and are subjected to force, violence or the threat of violence. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear."[1] By contrast, burglary is defined as, "unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft."[2] Bank robbery is therefore defined as entering a bank when it is open and obtaining money either by using force or the threat of force. Breaking into a bank when it is closed is burglary.

Overview
Locations

Bank robbery occurs most frequently in cities and large towns. This concentration is often attributed to there being more branches in urban areas, but the number of bank robberies is disproportionately higher than the number of branches. In Canada, for example, seven cities have 30% of all bank branches but 66% of all bank robberies; in the United Kingdom, London has 10% of the nation's branches but 39% of its bank robberies.[citation needed] This has advantages both for bank robbers and for the law enforcement community. Being in urban areas the transportation infrastructure is more highly developed, especially where banks tend to cluster near to retail shopping areas and commercial districts. Such banks are highly

profitable targets for bank robbers who are then afforded a number of potential escape routes. The law enforcement community benefit by being able to respond more quickly, and the likelihood of catching a bank robber on or near the scene is higher than for other types of crime. This is because most bank robberies are reported very quickly, frequently while the crime is in progress; most bank robberies occur during daylight hours, have multiple witnesses and with modern technology often produce photographic images that can be distributed and used immediately to canvass the local area. Consequently, many robbers are caught the same day. In fact, the clearance rate for bank robbery is among the highest of all crimes, at nearly 60%.[citation
needed]

The urban locations of the crime also contributes to its repeat victimization profile, a measure of how quickly a crime victim will suffer a repeat of the original crime. One study carried out by the Home Office found that in England, one third of banks at which a robbery has occurred will be robbed again within three months, while the same study found that in Tallahassee, Florida, one quarter of robbed banks will suffer repeat robbery within a week, and over half of robbed banks will be robbed again within a month.[3]
Characteristics

The Australian Institute of Criminology analyzed trends in bank robbery over a four-year period. Of the 808 bank robbery incidents between January 1998 and May 2002 in which the number of offenders involved in the hold-up was recorded, 55% were committed by lone offenders, 25% by pairs, and 20% by three or more robbers. Unarmed lone offenders accounted for 28% of robberies, caused the least number of injuries to victims (one percent of all victims' injuries), were the type of robber who most often used a note to threaten bank staff (46% of all their robberies), and failed most often in their robbery attempts (33% failure). Unarmed gangs inflicted the most injuries to victims (51%) and failed the least in their robbery attempts (6% failure). Armed robbers used a disguise more often compared to unarmed robbers, with armed pairs employing disguises most often (59%).[4] According to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics injuries occur in about two percent and a death occurs in less than one percent of all U.S. bank robberies.[5][6] Violent takeover bank robberies are rare. The majority of bank robberies taking place today are so called "note jobs." These are usually accomplished by simply passing a written note to the teller demanding money. The idea is to attract as little attention as possible. In most cases, other customers present in the bank during such a robbery are unaware of what is occurring. Standard bank policy is to avoid violence as much as possible, so they will normally hand over the money and try to adhere to the robber's demands. The robber usually makes away with cash, but typically in relatively small amounts. According to British Bankers' Association data, in 2007 there were 106 attempted or successful robberies in Britain which an average of 1.6 persons involved. One third of attempts came up empty while the average haul for a successful attempt was equivalent to 46 600 USD. 20% of the successes would later prove less than successful by virtue of the robbers being arrested.[7]

History

Patty Hearst takes part in the April 1974 Hiberna bank raid with other SLA members

The first bank robbery in the United States is often claimed to have taken place at the Clay County Savings Association in Liberty, Missouri, on 13 February 1866 when several men believed to be members of the James-Younger Gang shot a 19-year-old student and escaped with $60,000. This is also claimed (including by the museum established at the bank where it happened) as the first bank robbery in daylight in peacetime,[8] to distinguish it from robberies such as that from the banks at St Albans, Vermont more than a year earlier which were perpetrated by Confederate soldiers and which some historians consider to be not robberies proper but acts of war.[9] However, twenty-five months earlier, just before noon on 15 December 1863 a man walked into a bank in Middlesex County, Massachusetts and shot the 17-year-old bookkeeper and stole $3,000 in large bills and $2,000 in small bills. The directors of the bank offered a $6,000 reward for the arrest of the murderer.[10] An even earlier alleged bank robbery is known to have occurred, but details are few. According to The New York Times, the first bank robbery in United States history took place on 19 March 1831, when the City Bank of New York lost $245,000, but the exact method is not clear so it cannot be confirmed that this was a robbery and not a burglary.[11]
First known use of a getaway car

The 21 December 1911 edition of L'Auto, a popular Paris newspaper, carried an announcement on its front page that a man was offering a reward for information leading to the recovery of his limousine. The same day, two armed men intercepted a bank messenger outside a branch of Socit Gnrale in Paris and took a satchel of money he was about to deliver to the bank.[12]
Historical bank robbers Main article: List of bank robbers and robberies

Jesse James (September 5, 1847 April 3, 1882) was one of the most notorious bank robbers in American history.

John Dillinger (June 22, 1903 July 22, 1934) was another famous bank robber, who robbed banks in mid-western America. Some considered him a dangerous criminal, while others idolized him as a supposed present-day Robin Hood. He gained this latter reputation (and the nickname "Jackrabbit") for his graceful movements during bank heists, such as leaping over the counter (a movement he supposedly copied from the movies) and many narrow getaways from police. On 22 July 1934 in Chicago, Illinois, Dillinger was cornered by FBI agents in an alley outside of a movie theater, where he was shot and killed by an agent. In the early twentieth century Willie Sutton (June 30, 1901 - November 2, 1980) was asked why he robbed banks, and he was famously reported as answering: "Because that's where the money is." This is, in fact, a quote invented by the interviewer to make the story more interesting.[13]

Prevention

Expended dye pack after a Los Angeles area Bank of America robbery, January 2, 2008. This particular pack was concealed inside a stack of twenty dollar bills.

Banks have implemented modern security measures, like motion-sensing and high resolution color security cameras, time-locked heavy vault doors, silent alarms, exploding dye packs, bait money and locator devices. Some banks supplement this protection with armed or unarmed security guards.[14] Gone are the days when expert safe crackers could crack the code to a vault or safe. Today's biometric technology makes non-violent methods of gaining access nearly impossible. Modern vaults and safes are also reinforced to the point that the amount of explosives needed to blow them open would likely create unwanted attention and run the risk of harming the building to the point of collapse. By their very nature, even the most impregnable vault or safe eventually needs to be able to be opened and closed by someone. To circumvent vault and safe security features, robbers often kidnap the bank manager, but that is not always a successful workaround as banks have often removed the manager's ability to open the vault. The police have new measures at their disposal to catch bank robbers, such as well-armed SWAT teams. Forensic identification techniques have also improved greatly; should a bank robber fire a gun, the police can trace the bullet to the exact firearm using ballistic fingerprinting. Martin Kemp, in a BBC documentary, once inquired on the effectiveness of an Uzi in a bank robbery, to which the firearms training instructor joked "that would be sixty-four pieces of evidence to convict you." The sawn-off shotgun, a common robbery weapon in United Kingdom, Australia

and New Zealand where handguns are difficult to obtain, are easily concealable but not particularly effective. While it is likely but not certain that the first time someone robs a bank they will not be caught, it is highly likely that if they continue they will be caught. Few criminals are able to make a successful living out of bank robbery over the long run. Bank robberies are still fairly common and are indeed successful, although eventually many bank robbers are found and arrested. A report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation[15] states that, among Category I serious crimes, the arrest rate for bank robbery in 2001 was second only to that of murder. Today most organized crime groups tend to make their money by other means, such as drug trafficking, gambling, loan sharking, identity theft, or online scamming and phishing. A further factor making bank robbery unattractive for criminals in the United States is the severity with which it is prosecuted. Accounts at all U.S. banks are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a corporation of the federal government, bringing bank robbery under federal jurisdiction and involving the FBI. United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines for bank robbery mandate long prison terms, which are usually further enhanced by the use or carrying of loaded firearms, prior criminal convictions, and the absence of parole from the federal prison system. As with any type of robbery, the fact that bank robbery is also inherently a violent crime typically causes corrections administrators to place imprisoned bank robbers in harsher high-security

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/08/bank_bans_cell .html August 4, 2006

Bank Bans Cell Phones

Not because they're annoying, but as a security measure:

Cell phones have been banned inside the five branches of the First National Bank in the Chicago area, to enhance security.

Even using a cell phone in the bank's lobby may result in the person being asked to leave the premises. "We ban cell phone use in the lobby because you don't know what people are doing," Ralph Oster, a senior vice president, told the Chicago Tribune. Cell phone cameras are also a worry. Oster said there have been holdups in which bandits were on the phone with lookouts outside while committing bank robberies. "You're trying to stop that communication," he says. Banks in Mexico City banned call phones in May and Citizens Financial Bank of Munster, Ind., asks customers to turn off their cell phones. West Suburban Bank, based in Lombard, Ill., barred customers wearing hats in January but has not moved to silence cell phones. This is just plain dumb. It's easy to get around the ban: a Bluetooth earpiece is inconspicuous enough. Or a couple of earbuds that look like an iPod. Or an SMS device. It only has to work at the beginning. After all, once you start actually robbing the bank, a ban isn't going to deter you from using your cell phone.

http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402615_text To link to this article, copy this persistent link: http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402615_text (Apr 08, 2011) In an effort to curb the crimes that occur when customers leave bank branches after withdrawing funds, on April 4, 2011, the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil enacted Law No. 5,939 prohibiting the use of cell phones, radio transmitters, palmtops, and similar equipment inside bank branches in the state. The author of the bill, State Deputy Domingos Brazo, was quoted as saying that people may continue to enter the bank branches with their devices, but their use is prohibited inside, the idea being to avoid the exchange of information among criminals and avoid theft and robbery. A similar initiative in Argentina was able to reduce the incidence of this type of crime by 20%, said Brazo. (Lei Probe Uso de Celulares Dentro das Agncias Bancrias do Estado do Rio, O GLOBO (Apr. 5, 2011).)