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May 4, 2008

Pa. third in nation for bank jobs, FBI says

More than half of the bank robberies in this area were armed, contrary to national trend.

JEN MARCKINI jmarckini@timesleader.com

Pennsylvania ranks third highest in the country for bank robberies, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation report.

California and Texas were the top two states, according to the report for the third quarter of 2007 released Tuesday.

Throughout the country, there were 837 demand-note bank robberies, according to the FBI statistics. The data shows 385 were holdups, or robberies done with a weapon.

Eighty-seven bank robberies occurred in Pennsylvania during the three-month period, which covered July through September of last year. FBI bank crime statistics show more than half of the bank robberies in Northeastern Pennsylvania were armed as opposed to a quick demand note.

There have been 12 bank robberies in Northeastern Pennsylvania since last October, according to Jerri Williams, spokeswoman for the FBI headquarters in Philadelphia. Seven of the robberies were armed, she said.

Seven bank robberies have occurred since the start of this year – four of them armed.

The statistics were obtained by the FBI office in Scranton, which covers eight counties in the northeast region, including Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties.

Demand-note robberies are non-violent and most common in bank heists, Williams said, which indicates a crime of opportunity. A majority of these robberies are for drug money, Williams said.

“We do know a large majority of non-violent bank robberies appear to be (individuals) looking for quick money for a drug purchase,” she said.

Armed bank robberies are planned and more vindictive, Williams said. The purpose is to try to make some money, which does not always indicate a drug habit. It could be economically driven.

Williams said bank crimes are cyclical. She does not know if the trend in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area is economically driven.

The trend shown in the northeastern region is contrary to bank robbery trends statewide, where there were twice as many demand notes in robberies from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2007.

Demand-note robberies are non-violent and most common in bank heists, Williams said.

Jen Marckini, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 829-7210.

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