An alarmingly high number of bank robberies in Nebraskaspecifically in Omaha-has brought

attention to the state and drawn concern from bankers, law enforcement officers and the public
alike.

Bank robberies in Omaha quadrupled in 1998 compared with the previous year, giving
Nebraska's largest city the dubious distinction of being one of the nation's fastest-growing
centers of bank robbery. Through Dec. 21, a total of 75 of Nebraska's 81 bank robberies occurred
in the Omaha-metro area. In all of 1997, Omaha accounted for 19 of the state's 25 bank
robberies.

"It's mind-boggling. It's got Omaha baffled, and no one's able to pinpoint a consistent reason for
it," said Greg Hohl, president of Wahoo State Bank in Wahoo, a small town 30 miles west of
Omaha.

While Nebraska's numbers have jumped dramatically, the rest of the region's numbers haven't.

In Minnesota and Wisconsin, fewer bank robberies were reported in 1998 compared with the
previous year. Iowa saw a slight increase. Illinois experienced an increase, but the state's
numbers have gone up and down, following Chicago wherever the Windy City goes. Few
robberies ever occur in North Dakota and South Dakota, where 22 were reported in the last four
years. (See chart on page 10.)

Explaining the inconsistent annual numbers can be perplexing, said Coleen Rowley,
spokeswoman for the Minneapolis office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. So much more
is not known about bank robbery motives compared with what law enforcement does know. "As
to what makes individual years go up and down, that's something that defies simple explanation,"
Rowley said.

Larry Holmquist, of the Omaha FBI, agreed. "I don't know why the numbers increased here.
That's the $64,000 question," he said.

Three definitive factors, though, stand out from bank robbery statistics. First, bank robbery
numbers don't correlate with violent crime rates. As violent crime numbers decline, bank robbery
numbers may or may not decrease. There is no set pattern, Rowley said.

Also, bank robbers, for the most part, are substance abusers. Of those captured in hold-ups,
roughly 60 percent claim to have had drug problems such as use of marijuana, crack cocaine,
methamphetamine or heroin. The number would be higher if alcohol abuse was included,
Rowley said.

Lastly, statistics show bank robbery has a high recidivism rate. About 20 percent of bank robbers
have previous bank robbery-related convictions, Rowley said.

High Resolution Rate

Nationwide, about 75 percent of all bank robbers are captured, said Bob Long, who works for the
Chicago FBI office. The public is often surprised at such a high solution rate, many believing
most robbers get away, Long added. It's relatively easy capturing criminals, who don't do their
homework, perform at the spur of the moment and aren't the smartest people.

"(Bank robbers) tend to be on the lower end of the intellectual spectrum of the criminal element.
Translated, this means they're dumb," Long said.

For example, Long noted that at least twice a year in Chicago, authorities encounter cases in
which foiled robbers are captured after writing a demand note on the back of their personal
checking or savings account deposit slips.

Solution rates vary from state to state. In Minnesota, the number is at 70 percent or higher. The
numbers are similar in Nebraska. However, in states such as North Dakota and South Dakota
where few bank robberies occur, law enforcement may solve up to 100 percent of the cases,
Rowley said.

If bank robbers choose their career expecting high paydays, they should think again. Long said
the average monetary take in a robbery ranges from $2,000 to $3,000. The money usually gets
taken from teller stations, The 'Beerbelly Bandit' And Other Things About Bank Robbery Bank
robbery has been glorified in such places as Hollywood, video games and the media, but the
bottom line is it's a crime that potentially threatens lives. Below are bank robbery statistics and
information provided by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Bob Long of Chicago; Larry
Holmquist of Omaha, and Coleen Rowley of Minneapolis.

Guns are used rarely in bank robberies. The criminal's preferred method is slipping a demand
note to a teller.

The majority of robberies are teller thefts. This is when bandits snag a minimal amount of money
from teller stations.

Branching has provided criminals with more opportunities. As larger banks create offices in such
places as grocery stores and shopping centers, potential robbers can have more choices to steal
money.

Bank robbery is a crime dominated by males, who commit roughly 96 percent of them.

In 1997, of the 10,800 criminals involved in bank robbery, 51 percent were black, 40 percent
white and 6 percent Hispanic.

To help law enforcement, bank employees should try to remember as much as possible about
robbery suspects. Such vital information may include clothing, physical description, height,
weight, race, speech patterns and distinguishing marks such as a tattoo or scar.