Pub. 8 2013-2014 Issue 1

May | June 2013 27 Extraordinary Service for Extraordinary Members. Q Robbery Prevention — continued on page 28 F ORMORE THAN15YEARS, I PURSUED a career as a self-employed ad- dict, drug dealer, gambler, and thief. I risked my life and sacri- ficed my family to satisfy my need for money, attention, and independence. Ultimately, my disregard of values and discipline resulted in a 13-year federal prison sentence. Following a six-month crime spree, which included five armed bank robberies in three states, my self-destructive lifestyle was brought to an end. I soon found myself within the razor wire and armed confines of the Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colo., where my neighbors included such notorious criminals as Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Facing the obstacles, pressures, and violence of prison life, I was de- termined that this time behind bars would not be wasted. I chose educa- tion as my saving grace, despite the elimination of federal Pell grants for the incarcerated. Undeterred, I set out to secure funding on my own through scholarships, grants, and foundation assistance. After six months of submit- ting applications, writing essays, beg- ging, pleading, and selling, I landed my first scholarship for one class. That was the beginning. When I walked out the doors of prison, I carried with me two degrees, both obtained with a 4.0 GPA and placement on the Dean’s List and President’s List. Today, I am a motivational speak- er, sharing my story of endurance and personal transformation with audiences of all ages. For nearly a decade now, I have provided financial institutions with real-life insight sur- rounding robbery prevention, appre- hension, and recovery. By giving you a look into the “mind of the enemy,” I am confident that the suggestions be- low, if implemented, will dramatically decrease the chance of your financial institution being targeted for a rob- bery; increase the chances of a quick apprehension of the assailant(s); and aid in a speedy and full recovery of monies taken. Obviously bank robbery is not as Hollywood portrays—it is not John Dillinger or Bonnie and Clyde, and it is certainly not a crime committed by individuals who are living a glamorous lifestyle. The people who are commit- ting these crimes are strung out on drugs, have a gambling debt to pay, or are about to lose their homes to foreclosure. Robbery is very much an act of desperation. Wherever drugs are available, gambling occurs, and unemployment is prevalent, the crime of robbery will occur. This being the case, how do you “robber proof” your institutions? It starts with the support of senior man- agement. You must create an environ- ment in which a potential robber does not want to be. A robber will always take the path of least resistance. From Desperation to Dedication Robbery Prevention, Apprehension & Recovery Through the Eyes of a Former Bank Robber Troy Evans