SEATTLE — Credit unions have faced a disproportionately high increase in recent robberies and now the Federal Bureau of Investigation is teaming up with lawmakers in one state to try to lower the robbery rate.
According to a story in the Seattle Times, the FBI is working with legislators in Washington State to draft legislation which will prevent financial institutions from doing business with customers who wear hats and sunglasses while on the premises.
The FBI said that there have been 113 robberies of financial institutions in the state so far this year and that bank robbers have figured out that the use of hats, hooded sweatshirts and sunglasses can effectively prevent a financial institution's cameras from getting a clear view of them.
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One robber, nicknamed the Nomad Bandit because he struck all over the state, told investigators that he wore baseball caps to prevent cameras from taking clear pictures. Since most bank cameras are situated in front of and above customers, the use of hats and sunglasses can effectively neutralize high cost security systems.
The law currently being discussed would allow for the wearing of hats in financial institutions for medical or religious reasons, the paper reported.
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