[Poodleshooter]

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/0803/14bankrob.html

Read through the article and notice this excerpt about 2/3 of the way down the page regarding Bank of America locations:

This year, Bank of America Corp. launched its "Greenbelt Project" nationwide. Its measures include mantraps -- two sets of double doors equipped with weapons sensors. If triggered, the doors automatically lock, preventing a would-be bandit from entering the branch or escaping outside.

Other components are high-tech digital cameras that provide crisper photographs and devices that emit smoke or tear gas.

The deterrents have been effective. Between June 2002 and January 2003, robberies of Bank of America branches in metro Los Angeles fell 69 percent, to 24, compared with the 77 holdups between June 2001 and January 2002.

"The bottom line was that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to reducing robberies," said Brad Dinsmore, who oversees Bank of America's bank branches and mortgage centers in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.

Bank of America, which has 169 branches in metro Atlanta and plans 40 more, is considering using some of those measures in a few of its local branches. Experts say low-tech deterrents, like SouthTrust's no-hats policy, also are effective.

So, let's see, if I carry into a B of A bank, a set of clamshell doors traps me inside? No thanks!
Has anybody seen this security setup? I wonder if they prohibit carry in all of their banks, or if they actually know that people can carry in some states?

[CZ-100]

Other components are high-tech digital cameras that provide crisper photographs and devices that emit smoke or tear gas.

Yeah Right.. Smoke and Gas their employees, I do not think that will happen. :what:

[BrokenPaw]

Dear Bank of America,

I used to be a customer. Then you pulled this stunt. I'll take my funds elsewhere. Prepare for the lawsuit when some soccer-mom gets stuck in your mantrap because your scanner thought her can of mace was a weapon.

Love and kisses,

Mr. Broken Paw


(Actually, I already stopped using them, because their service was suboptimal.)

[Oleg Volk]

Let's see -- automatic double doors reacting to anything physically similar to a handgun...like a camera or a laptop (about the same amount of metal and plastic)...and a bright idea to trap someone armed between (glass) doors: make them shoot their way out of the trap.

Methinks they are blowing smoke...

[Norm357]

I think that if the bank trapped me in a set of doors for having a legal weapon, I would charge the bank manager and president with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. In clayton County just south of Atlanta, that is what a store clerk was charged with after trapping a woman in a store.


Norm

[bogie]

Heh, heh... The credit union here at work (in an access-controlled building - On a scale of 1-10 of robbery likelhood, this place is in the negatives...) put up a "no hats/no sunglasses" sign...

Time to start wearing hats and sunglasses every time I wander in for soda change...

[Redlg155]

Hmmmm...

It seems to me that if someone that got locked in due to a false reading or by having it go off on something like a big texas style belt buckle could have a good case for false imprisonment. You are being detained against your will by a non law enforcement agency until they can call armed security or the police just so they can check you out? Different story if you are free to leave, but in this case it sounds like you aren't.

I'd be surprised if someone doesn't try to sue.

Good Shooting
Red

[willyjixx]

ah the good ol B of A figuring any one carrying a gun must be there to rob them

[jsalcedo]

My BofA doesn't have the sign prohibiting legal carry (30.06 sign)
I walk inside sometimes while carrying.

Not sure if I want to be a test case for the man trap but its always a possibility.

[Cacique500]

I carry CCW into B of A all the time here locally in Virginia. Technically, I could carry open into the bank if I wanted to.

As Norm357 said, if they trapped me inside a set of double doors for a legally concealed CCW, I'd retire a very wealthy individual.

[Kevlarman]

I've seen numerous banks here in California with this setup. Both doors are bulletproof, BTW, so shooting your way out won't work.

Basically, the outer door is locked until the person in the middle of the two doors steps out and closes the inner door. This is to prevent more than one person from entering (or leaving) at a time. The green light comes on, and you can the nopen the door. You step in, and shut the door behind you. Walk through the metal detector, another light turns green, and then you man open the second door. Don't forget to shut it or else the guy outside can't get in!

Although I don't have a CCW, I've carried numerous knives and worn steel toe boots, and the metal detectors haven't given me a problem. I also find it kind of funny that the security guard who's standing besides the doors can buzz people in manually, after giving them a glance over and assuming that the 13-year old looking kid couldn't possibly be dangerous.

[Mike Irwin]

"and a bright idea to trap someone armed between (glass) doors: make them shoot their way out of the trap."

They'd have to shoot for awhile.

Most of these "traps" installed in financial institutions are made with bullet resistant glass.

They can install all of these that they want.

I don't bank, I credit union.

And if the credit union installs them, I think the last time I was actually physically IN the branch office at the credit union was March. Of 2002.

[cordex]

Carry into my bank (Bank One) all the time. No problems.

If they ever introduce mantrap style security or metal detectors and/or deny CCW, I will step outside, lock the gun in the car and immediately close out all my accounts and politely and clearly inform the manager as to why.

Vote with your wallet.

[dinosaur]

Heh, 3 heart attacks so far, doors that trap, tear gas, hmm. Oh Badger, let`s go make some BIG cash!:what: :neener: :evil:

[Standing Wolf]

Bank of America used to be my bank.

[mrtgbnkr]

A lot of these types of systems will still allow the outside door to open even if it "senses" a weapon in order to avoid the kidnapping/false imprisonment lawsuits.

As a former bank manager in the bank robbery capital of the midwest (per capita), Dayton, OH I have to admit that banks are desperate to try to protect themselves and their employees. We even have a couple of credit unions here in the area that have installed these types of systems after being robbed repeatedly. Of course, this is Ohio, so they don't have to worry about CCW holders/legal carry because Ohio sucks and won't pass a decent CCW law. The problem is that if you operate a bank in an area WITH CCW, then you have to either not use these types of systems because people have been given permission by the state to exercise their rights, or you have to take steps to "ban" CCW in your branches and face the wrath of gun owners (not a good business idea).

Mark

[CAP]

These systems are becoming more common place in a lot of banks. It's illegal to carry in a financial institution anyway in NC.
Hope my knife won't set 1 off some place. :(

I rarely have to actually go in a bank anymore. :)

Drive thru if I need a visit whenever possible.

[bfason]

Anyone here know if there is a federal law govering this?

[Hkmp5sd]

Should make a nice front page photo and story when they barricade and gas some 8 yr-old walking in with their piggybank full of pennies.

[P95Carry]

Anyone here know if there is a federal law govering this? bfason ... none to my knowledge. Here in PA ... I carry into any and every bank I need to use ..... no probs and I am no threat either.

Not to mention .... it'd be a totally brain-deficient idiot who went in carrying and then decided to ''try something'' ...... Banks these days are well wised up and savvy ....... no percentage IMO for any would be robbers.

Plus ...... any would be perp should know round here, that the possibility (no - likelehood) of a CCW nearby is very strong!!!:)

[Kentucky Rifle]

The "bad guy" comes in and says, "This is a stick up". (In "whatever" langage.)
The counter employee trips a switch and a steel barrier quickly snaps up from the counter. If the BG was hanging over the counter at the time, he'd be squashed. (Maybe even cut in half.) I've gone into Swiss banks and thought I was in the wrong place. I've actually gone back outside again to read the sign. Some banks don't look like "banks" at all. Just like any other business, 6 to 10 people are sitting at desks. You walk up and tell them what you want, they stick a note in a vacuum tube which sucks the note away. In seconds, what you asked for comes back through the vacuum tube. I have NO IDEA where the "actual" bank is. Upstairs, downstairs, who knows? Seems like a pretty good system though.
Sometimes, like in the Swiss airports, there's a man or woman with the neatest little machine gun or assault rifle standing in a corner. I have no idea what it is and I don't ask because I don't know if it's proper to engage the guards in conversation. However, these small rifles have long curved magazines that, to me look like they hold *many .380 caliber cartridges.
Could be 9MM, but sure looks like .380's to me.

KR

[Deepdiver]

Anyone here know if there is a federal law govering this?

Negatory on federal law. As far as I know, banks are private property, so state and local laws would apply.

I carry (concealed) in my local bank all the time here in Souther Colorado.

Here, it is perfectly legal, unless the bank posts a no firearms/concealed weapons sign.

Check your state laws.

[tiberius]

Experts say low-tech deterrents, like SouthTrust's no-hats policy, also are effective.


No hats??? *** is up with that? I somehow don't see this policy being enacted in Fort Worth. :)

Maybe they should x-ray our shoes.

[Skunkabilly]

Around here, bank 'robbers' just ask for the money, unarmed, I think it seems to be working well for them :rolleyes:

[Shweboner]

Do they post this on their doors? You'd think that there would be some kind of warning???

Also, this could be a problem for the LE community, A machine cannot tell the difference from a cop, legal CCW, robber. It'll all be over the day an innocent person or a LEO gets caught in that thing... idiots.

[Deepdiver]

I heard that Kalifornia passed a new law that says you have to strip down

to your thong to enter a bank. ....its all about public safety, y'know :D

[AZLibertarian]

...strip down to your thong to enter a bank...

Oh, there's a pretty picture.

Open carry with the holster pulling that thong down around my knees...

Or concealed carry--Zowwwwie!!

[themic]

guys, this article itself is blowing smoke.

there is no reliable remote weapon detection system that's going to be good enough to close doors and release smoke.

the best they'll ever have is a security guard staring at a B&W monitor looking for weapons - i.e. looking for you running into a bank brandishing and wearing ski masks. his finger is on the man-trap button. it's not hard or complex or worthy of a boycott.

they're talking to the press. they ogtta simplifiy and do a little publicity of how good they are. despite the FDIC, the general public still seems to value the fight against bank robbery as a good measure of which bank to choose. they gotta sound big and tough and the nuances of law and carry aren't their main focus when making press statements.

no need to boycott these people.

this is the same bank, when i thought i was going to be moving into washington dc... i asked them, if i could get a safety deposit box and place a firearm in there. they said: we don't encourage girearms in the bank, but we have no idea and cannot have any idea of what you decide to put in your box. we can only forbid explosives and dangerous chemicals that would pose a hazard to everyone in the building. but otherwise, we CAN NOT KNOW WHAT YOU PUT IN THERE. nudge nudge hint hint it's ok buddy.

[kudu]

This just means every time a police offis]cer walks into a bank to do some banking...... WHAM there goes the doors shut.:D

[cordex]

no need to boycott these people.
If they actively work to prevent lawful carry of firearms in their place of business by their clients through use of security systems or posted notices, I see no reason to support them.

[vertigo7]

I've seen demonstrations of "traps" in European banks...

The "bad guy" comes in and says, "This is a stick up". (In "whatever" langage.)
The counter employee trips a switch and a steel barrier quickly snaps up from the counter. If the BG was hanging over the counter at the time, he'd be squashed. (Maybe even cut in half.)

Seems to me this system could be bad for the bank. Now I will grant you that most intelligent folks (and plenty stupid ones too) will bolt for the door when the gunman starts the robbery. The demonstration of the "barrier wall in the bank" system I saw on TV also automagically locked the front doors too. So, employee triggers the barrier and the gunman is trapped in the lobby, which is where all the trapped and screaming customers are too. Good feeling to know your bank employees cared enough to save their own butts while trapping the bank robber out in the lobby with you, huh?

[Zach S]

AFAIK, you cant carry into a financial institution here in NC, therefore i use the ATM anyway.

I use Bank of America. I never write checks, I use direct deposit, and have an ATM card, so i dont need to go into the bank unless they screw up something (like bouncing a $74 check when there's $600 in the account, or keep me waiting two months for my damned ATM card:cuss: ).

I can think of a lot of armored truck drivers that are gonna be pissed off.