More banks, more options for robbers

We were wondering the other day whether anyone else was noticing what seems like an unusually large number of bank branches being built these days — and then we found out that yes, bank robbers have taken note of that — and it's making their heists a lot easier. The AP notes that a growing number of branches, plus customers' growing need for accessible banking, is creating challenges for banks that don't want to be robbed. (And here's a tip for you guys: Don't do business at a bank that wants to be robbed.)

Though the number of bank robberies throughout the U.S. is down, robberies in some major cities — like Chicago, which the AP focused on — have increased in the last few years. FBI spokesman Frank Bochte said it's because there are more banks out there to rob, but it's also partly due to banks' trying to balance convenience and security. Some branches have installed devices like the so-called "man trap," which traps would-be criminals in a building's vestibule. Other banks are asking customers not to wear masks, hats, hoods or dark glasses, a measure that, amazingly enough, reduced robberies by 40 percent in Missouri.

Even with fluctuations in robberies, bank officials say the losses — usually relatively small — don't matter as much as the banks' reputations. "It's not about the money," said John Hall, a spokesman for the American Bankers Association. "A bank's No. 1 concern is the safety of its staff and customers."