Eleven bank robberies have occurred in Columbus already this year, compared to a total of five in January and February 2002.
The most recent bank robbery took place on Feb. 28 at the State Employees Union at 20 E. Long St.
In Columbus, there were 27 bank robberies last year, dramatically lower than in years prior. However, total robberies in Columbus rose 8 percent.
“Last year’s total was probably an anomaly, as typically Columbus is ranked in the top 10 cities annually for the most numbers of bank robberies,” FBI agent Harry Trombitas said.
Sgt. Shawn Laird of the Columbus Division of Police said they have a suspect for the latest bank robberies and may be able to link him to four other robberies since December.
Last year, the Columbus police had a suspect in custody for 50 percent of the banks robbed. This year, they have caught a much higher percentage, Laird said.
“At minimum, people who rob banks have two agencies investigating them — the local precinct and the feds — along with surveillance in the banks, prints and DNA,” Laird said.
People convicted of robbery receive a mandatory four-year sentence that increases depending on if a weapon was used, if anyone was injured or if any hostages were held, according to the Ohio 5th District Appellate Court.
Bank robberies are popular across the country, though robbers tend to walk out with just a couple hundred dollars.
“Most bank robberies result in the offender receiving very little money for their efforts and a risk of significant imprisonment, especially if a weapon is used,” Trombitas said.
Erica Spencer, manager of Fifth Third Bank in the Ohio State Medical Center, said her bank tellers are trained to comply with whatever a robber wants to reduce the chance of harm.
Little money is kept with the bank tellers to prevent a robber from escaping with a lot of money.
“People that go to rob banks aren’t going to get what they go for,” Laird said.
Most bank robberies are committed by drug users who need money for more drugs, Trombitas said.
There is not a set pattern in Columbus on who will rob the next bank.
“I don’t care why they do it. We just want to lock the bad guys up,” Laird said.
Just as there is no set pattern of who robs banks, there is no pattern for the number of bank robberies per year in Franklin countyand the surrounding counties.
From 1999 to 2002, the numbers varied a great deal — from a high of 135 in 1999 to a low of 45 last year. In 2000 there were 89 bank robberies followed by 131 in 2001. The highest number of bank robberies in one year occurred in 1993, when 137 banks were robbed.
