You Can't Wear That!

Florida banks to would-be robbers: no hats, hoods or shades
Tampa Bay Business Journal

Surveillance videos of hooded bank robbers wearing impenetrable black shades could be a thing of the past for Florida banks, if they participate in a new statewide effort to curb holdups.

The Florida Bankers Association, in cooperation with the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol and Fraud-Net, announced a new program that strongly encourages patrons to remove hats, hoods and sunglasses when they enter Florida banks.

The program, dubbed "No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses," stops short of denying service to clients wearing the offending clothing or accessories. Bank personnel will direct those who refuse to remove hoods, hats or sunglasses to areas of the bank with more experienced tellers and heightened security.

"Bankers aren't just going to hope robbers won't come," said FBA President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Sanchez in a release. "We're going to be proactive by implementing policies and technology that will help prevent robberies and apprehend robbers if attempts are actually made."

FBA officials said Florida banks were robbed 361 times in 2007, 40 percent more often than in 2006. About 122 of those robberies involved perpetrators wearing facial disguises, masks, head coverings or helmets, according to the FBA.

A similar program begun in Missouri in May 2003 decreased bank robberies from 139 in 2002 to 87 in 2006, according to the Missouri Bankers Association.

Florida banks that choose to participate in the program will post information throughout branches alerting patrons to the new policy.

FBI statistics ranked Florida ninth in bank robberies in 2006.