ATM – Robberies………..

ATM – Robberies:

We all do it. Several times a week. Some do it once or more a day. We all make that convenient trip to the ATM machine to withdraw our hard-earned money. We transfer funds from checking accounts to savings accounts, we make deposits, we check balances, and we even make credit card and loan payments by way of the mechanical teller.

We get out of our car and walk up to our mechanical friend. Or we don’t even bother to benefit from the exercise of getting out of your car to walk. We drive right up to the window and lean out that window to take care of business, right from the comfort of our car.

What thousands of ATM users have discovered, is that when you walk up that path or drive into that ATM lane, you are entering a danger zone that can change your life. For many it’s a danger zone that has taken a life.

The problem presented to you is that while you are going to take care of financial business belonging to you, a strong possibility exists that someone else wants to make your finances, their financial business.
It’s called the ATM Robbery.

An ATM Robbery is a crime of opportunity. IT IS RARE that a suspect will come up behind you and stick a gun in your back while other people are around. Although they can and do occur during hours of daylight, the most common ATM robberies take place at night. They most ALWAYS take place when you’re alone.

For many Gang-Bangers this crime is nothing more than a sport. It’s so easy, not only to terrorize innocent people, but to also have a chance at a quick $300.00 bucks, a wallet or purse, jewelry, and even a car at the same time! Yes in a matter of 30 seconds you could be standing in front of your mechanical friend with NOTHING! If you resist, you could be laying there beaten, stabbed, shot, or dead.

It can happen at a little country ATM outlet in a rural area, or at a mainstream bank in a spotlight city like Beverly Hills or Hollywood. You can be a victim ANYWHERE!

What is a Crook thinking when they come up behind you? He or she thinks you’re a fool. Male or female, it doesn’t matter who the victim is. You walked up to this ATM all alone at night, plus you left your car running. There’s no one around including the cops and this will be an easy score. $300.00 bucks, maybe a couple credit cards, and this new Ford Explorer with the dynamite sound system. The Crooks is thinking that now, is as good a time as any to head out of town. After all, the Crook has a warrant for his arrest from a robbery last month, and it would be good to blow out of town for awhile until the heat is off. And here it is all in one package, the vehicle and the travel money! Who are you to the Crook?

Nothing more than an Opportunity

Or the Crook is high on crank and only wants more money for more dope. Trouble is this person is extremely dangerous and unpredictable because of the drug inducement. I’d say that brains on crank are dangerous but there’s no brains involved. Only DANGER. Who are you to the Crook?

Nothing more than an Opportunity

See the rest of the story on the next page – Click Below:

If you resist an ATM Robbery there is a remote chance that the crook will be surprised and run off. If you resist an ATM Robbery there is a remote chance that you may overtake the crook and see him or her arrested. If you resist an ATM Robbery there is a GREATER CHANCE that you will be Beaten, Stabbed, Shot, or KILLED. This is terror for sport, and you are NOTHING to the crook except OPPORTUNITY.

Figured it out yet? Take away the OPPORTUNITY and you take away the chances of being Victimized during an ATM Robbery. It doesn’t get anymore simple than that.

Suggestions:

• Refrain from using an ATM at night. You’re much safer using an ATM during daylight hours when other people are around. Even on weekends.

• Don’t use an ATM alone. Never! If you have someone waiting with you, don’t leave them to wait in the car while you are gone. Have them go with you. A Crook is less likely to attack more than one person. Especially at those ATM’s that are out of sight from where you park.

• Don’t drive right up to the curb, park, and get out of the car. Look over the entire parking lot as you enter. Look to see if there’s occupied vehicles in the lot that may look suspicious. A car occupied
By 3 guys parked a short distance away isn’t right. Why didn’t they drive right up to the curb? Is there a 4th guy waiting around the corner out of sight waiting for a victim? If it’s a night and there’s no one around, this would not be the ATM to use.

• Eliminate the above scenario completely by planning ahead. Don’t put yourself in a position of having to use an ATM machine “after hours”. I explained in the topic of drunk driving about keeping extra money in your wallet or purse for emergencies. My Dad taught me at an early age to always have a $50 or $100 dollar bill hidden underneath my driver’s license for emergencies. I practice that to this day. Do this and you won’t need to use the machine for that quick forty withdrawal. That late night deposit can wait until the next morning.

• Many banks offer telephonic banking enabling you to do account transfers over the phone. This is much safer than using an ATM for this purpose.

• Persons loitering around an ATM machine? Not a good sign. Maybe they’re waiting for a ride, Maybe they’re not!

• Don’t count your money at the ATM. Chances are someone is watching you do it. As my brother Mark says, there’s probably 2 or 3 of you counting YOUR money! Put it away and wait until you are safely in your car. Once in your car, continue to pay attention as to who is around you.

• DON’T leave your car running or have the keys in the ignition while you are preoccupied at the ATM.
Get into a routine of precaution and you won’t have to call us and explain how you gave your car away. Take your keys with you.

• When possible, take only your ATM card and papers that you need to carry out the transaction. (Example; your ATM card, deposit slip, and paycheck. If you take your wallet or purse with you, you take a chance on losing credit cards, money, and personal identification.)

• Take advantage of merchants and businesses that use ATM or debit machines for purchases at the sales counter or at the gas pumps. It is safer, just as convenient and there are usually more people around than at an isolated ATM machine. At many mini marts and grocery stores you can usually get money back.

• Speaking of grocery stores, many have installed ATM machines inside the store lobby in addition to having debit machines at the check out stand. A well lit environment, employee’s present, and usually many other customers around. MUCH SAFER than being alone outside the front of a bank!

Please don’t get me wrong. I LOVE ATM machines. I haven’t been inside the lobby of a bank while being off duty in over 5 years. I do everything at the ATM. But I’m a cop. I have peace officer powers 24 hours a day. Because I have cop powers 24 hours a day, I always have the tools of the trade with me, so to say.
I can protect myself. I know what to look for. I’ve been trained to deal with confrontations and threats.
Because I’m no fool, and because I don’t want to go through the unnecessary hassle of writing mountains of paperwork explaining why I shot someone who pulled a gun on me at an ATM machine, I follow the suggestions listed above. DAILY!

Take away the OPPORTUNITY, and you’ll take away their CHANCE.

My favorite saying, “Every action causes a reaction”. What action do you want to take? At least think about it. Your life can be uprooted and turned upside down in 30 seconds, If you let it.

JL