No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses, No Robberies

As a guy who spent 18 years in the banking business, I found this news out of Florida interesting:

SARASOTA, Fla. — Responding to a more than one-third hike in bank robbery, the Florida Bankers Association is urging its members to adopt new rules.

Not additional guards or cameras, but a dress code for customers.

The group rolled out a "No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses" program, which includes lobby signs asking customers to remove those items before approaching a teller.

Those who refuse would be directed to an area with more security or a more experienced teller.

"Bankers aren't just going to hope robbers won't come," FBA president Alex Sanchez said. "The 'No Hats' program is one more layer of protection for banks, employees and bank customers."

The dress code is optional, and some banks say they have no plans to adopt it. Wachovia, among the largest banks in Florida, is one of them.

"We realize and recognize that there are circumstances, such as religious traditions, that might make this offensive to some of our customers," Wachovia spokeswoman Kathy Harrison said.

Florida was ninth in the country for bank robberies in 2006, with 265. That number climbed to 361 robberies last year, in which more than $2.4 million was swiped.

The FBA says some 40 percent of all bank robberies involve some kind of facial disguise: masks, helmets or other head coverings.

"While it may take some time for customers to become accustomed to it, once they understand it is for the safety of bank employees and for customers like themselves, they will be more willing to participate," said FBA spokeswoman Renee Thompson.

I was tempted more than once to reach for the alarm during my teller days based on how a person was dressed, but you didn't see the kinds of outfits back then that you regularly see now, with hooded sweatshirts even on warm days and dark glasses worn indoors. California was (and probably still is) the bank robbery capital of the world, though the average take per robbery is suprisingly small. Every bank has policies which minimize the amount of cash in a teller drawer, and more and more banks like the one I use have installed floor-to-ceiling bullet resistant glass to protect the cash areas.

The dress code is a good idea. Customers should be smart enough not to walk into a bank wearing an outfit that screams "BANK ROBBER!".