Bank Robbery in Australia (From Armed Robbery: Proceedings of a Seminar Held 22-24 March 1988, Dennis Challinger, ed. -- See NCJ-119997)

• NCJ Number: 119999
• Author(s): J Marsden
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: For microfiche, see NCJ-119997.

Annotation

This document describes the structure of the banking industry in Australia, the recent profile of bank robbery, and the industry's approach to reduce the level and costs of bank robberies.

Abstract

Australian banks have at least double the number of branches per unit of money than major banks overseas. Consequently, these banks offer more than twice the number of targets per dollar of cash. A profile of the average bank robbery shows that Friday is the peak day for the incident to occur, single offenders are involved, firearms are used, and city centres and the country are targeted. Bank robberies involve direct monetary losses, cost of physical security device, and cost of trauma to customers, staff, and the bank. Reduction strategies include tightening of gun control policy, a review of bail, sentencing and parole policy, and the development and distribution of a robbery prevention kit for small business. 1 reference.