Let me start by saying that there is no any clear cut means that can be used in identifying robbers. The reason being that robbers only adopt a technique that is perfect for their operations per time. This means that the same person might have different ways of robbing at different locations (Miller, 2010). However, there is a general view that can be used in identifying them. In this piece, we will learn about the techniques robbers use in through the story of Clay Tumey, a hardened criminal who is now retired. Throughout his robbing spree, he was never caught for a moment. In fact, the only reason he ever went to prison was because five months after his final robbery he decided to turn himself in (What Culture, 2015). From all indications, you’ll agree with me that Tumey is actually a good case study for our discourse. Here are features of a typical bank robber:
They do their homework. As it applies to other professions, so also do bank robbers take their time to find out about their next assignment. Like any endeavor, one must not hastily rush into something that has such a high risk. Over the course of two years in the mid-2000s, Clay Tumey fine-tuned his skills in what he called the “art of bank robbery.” The internet would prove to be an invaluable resource, according to Tumey. He said: “I researched for about five or six months prior to my first one. I studied mostly the things that people did to get caught, and I just tried to plan around those things. It’s hard to know how people get away since those details rarely make it to the news, but studying how people get caught was incredibly helpful in knowing what to avoid.” The research and background check is to protect them from falling victim of unwanted situation. Other than making sure his parking situation was favorable he realized that he didn’t need to worry about scoping out the bank locations. Bank heist knowledge is apparently learned by experience (What Culture, 2015).
They don’t involve support groups. Clay Tumey did not tell anyone in the world that he was robbing banks while he was doing it. This turned out to be one of the keys to him never getting caught. No one can rat him out if literally no one knows what he’s doing. They keep everything to themselves because they understand that nobody is trustworthy. The closest person to them today can turn out to be their worst enemy tomorrow. So, a typical bank robber is secretive and keeps things from the public. Read what he said: “I never told anyone what I was doing. One of the main things I learned from research was that an overwhelming number of people are caught because they didn’t do it solo. So I never let anyone (not even my wife or best friend) know what I was doing.”And to reiterate the circumstance of his prison stay: he turned himself in. If he had chosen to keep his criminal activity to himself he might not have ever done any time (What Culture, 2015).
They don’t go on operation if they are not sure of success. Clay Tumey never had to watch a situation turn violent, despite the obvious potential. Additionally, kindness to the actual bank employees was a tactic worth utilizing. He said: “I never felt guilty because I didn’t attack or assaulted anyone. Under the circumstances, I was as nice as I could possibly be to the bank employees because I did feel a little sympathy for them.”Tumey kept in control during his thefts and never saw fists fly or shots fire, but would he have engaged in a fight if the opportunity had arisen? According to him, “That depends on the situation. If it was just some random guy trying to be a hero, I would have probably gone to any extreme necessary to get away because that’s a challenge. On the other hand, if it was a cop or a security guard of some sort, I would have probably let them win. Probably.” All these are indicators you should always pay rapt attention to.
They are expectant of complications. When the crime of bank robbery is happening there is always the chance that things might not go smoothly. Clay Tumey came the closest to getting caught that he ever would be during his last bank robbery. Let’s read his narration: “The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. She started screaming “lock the doors, lock the doors” but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. He was p***ed, of course, because it wasn’t closing time, and he thought he had gotten there too late. He obviously didn’t realize the guy who had just walked out of the bank and past him had just robbed the bank.” Tumey was a long-seasoned robber by this point and knew to remain calm walking past the irate customer. Had he acted sketchy he might have blown his cover (What Culture, 2015). Learning some of these things are indicators that bank robbers are really smart and one needs to look beyond the surface level to apprehend them. When complications occur, a typical robber will keep shut and look beyond the noise around them.
Apart from Tumey, there are some other criminals that were able to rob banks successfully. One of such was the French “Vacuum gang”. They made use of vacuum cleaners to suck out cash. This gang, based in France used a very unconventional tool to clear out cash from safes. And no, it’s not some super sophisticated cutting edge machine, it is your good old vacuum cleaner. That’s right, these guys drilled holes into the pneumatic tubes used in the supermarkets to carry cash from one end to another and sucked out the cash using a vacuum cleaner. They have cleared out more than $800,000 in total. Though several footages of store’s CCTV cameras have caught them in action, these clever thieves still remain at large (Rathore, 2015).
References
Miller, A (2010). Can You Profile A Bank Robber? Retrieved from https://www.wvlt.tv/home/headlines/101923433.html
Rathore, J (2015). 7 Innovative Techniques That Robbers Actually Used In Real Life. Retrieved from https://www.storypick.com/most-epic-robberies/
What Culture (2015). 10 Tips For Robbing A Bank From A Retried Bank Robber. Retrieved from http://whatculture.com/offbeat/10-tips-for-robbing-a-bank-from-a-retired-bank-robber?page=5