Evening star., 1926-09-17

Since then it has slumped. according
to James K. Baum, manager of the
protective department of the associa
ton. Last yeav, for example, the
amount of loss by forgeries totaled
100000. whereas in 1924 It ran to
S1D0, ,000, ,00O
Holdups, burglaries and other crimes
against banks have shown similar
drops since 1924.
Bank Holdups Decline.
According to figures given the writer
by Mr.. Baum there were only SO day
light bank robberies reported by mem
ber banks during the last fiscal year.
The previous year showed sc attacks
of that type. Burglaries similarly
dropped from 40 to II. In the calen-
dar year 1924 there were 165 holdups.
The highwater mark of burglary
was reached in 1921, when 240 banks
were entered. Since then bank bur
glary has been going out of fashion.
The criminal has become more dar-
ing, but laZier. He no longer spends
hours cracking an almost impregna-
BILE safe. He makes his attack in
broad daylight. with fast automo-
bile ready to whirl him to safety.
Only SO attempted safe crackings
at banks We're reported last year
According to Mr.. Baums statistics.
the States of New York. Pennsyl-
vania Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Maryland, and West Virginia suf-
fered only a small percentage of The
bank robberies during the past five
years. These States all have State
police forces. Figures for the same
periods show that there are 46 rob-
berries in these States, and 473 in
Illinois, Indiana Missouri and Okla
hona. These four States have about
the same number of banks as the
six Eastern States named. but have
no State police.
State Police Lauded.
New York does not suffer very
much from bank crimes" Mr.. Baum
said. I'VE are better off than other
States. and the State police deserve
much of the credit for this condition.
They cooperate with us readily, and
when q local police officer cannot do
the job, the State officers are always
on hand
Besides the American Bankers Ma
tional Association there are aSsc
tons in each State. Mr.. Baum places
the combined expenditures of all the
associa tions at 100000. To this sum
must be added about $14,000.000 a
year spent on guards, messengers,
armored car drivers and other special
employees hired by banks to cope with
the crime situation.
In addition. large sums are invested
in vaults, alarm systems, tear gas.
arms and other protective machinery
used by banks. Armored cars are
now employed in about so of the
L., at oh II
$50 cars Of this type in daily use
Of money.
Protection Outlays Increase.
The exact effect of the crime wave
on the expenditures of the American
Bankers Association is an indication
of the costliness of crime to the
whole community. In 1916 the asso-
citation spent about $S5,000 for the
protection of it's members. Last year
it spent $120,000. The increase has
been almost exactly concomltant With
the growth of crime.
1.-THE American Bankers Association
was the first business organization to
try to cope with crime on a national
SCALE" Mr.. Baum said. The police
could be 100 per cent efficient and yet
they might Iall 10 SOlNe lHe CIliIie
problem. The police, even State police.
must recognize a State line, while the
criminal does not. He roams over the
whole country.
"Only such system as ours. which
places skilled experts specializing in
bank crime-detecting at the service of
all our 23, 900 members, can handle the
situation. We keep our members fully
| informed of the movements of the
well known forgers, bank burglars and
other criminals. We supply the latest
! information regarding protective
| methods.
Aid Local Police.
| ".And if Il crime occurs we are on the
! job to aid the local police in track
! ing down the criminal. If he moves
| into another State, we are after him.
| The results speak for themselves. In
1924 there were 1,500 violent crimes
against banks. Last year there were
| only 1000. We investigated 1922
cases, secured 504 arrests and 30S
| convictions"
According to Mr. Baum. two-thirds
of the attacks against banks occurred
! in Illinois. Oklahoma. Kansas, Mis-
souri,, California. Michigan, Texas and
Indiana, which States include one
| third of the banks. Steps have already
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