The bank sneaks of the country were formerly among the most
troublesome criminals with whom the police had to deal. The money and
jewelry stolen by them aggregated hundreds of thousands of dollars
annually.
The bank sneak is the cleverest of crooks, and as bold and daring
as any of them. But modern police methods, the system of exchanging
Bertillon photographs, and the organization of bankers' and jewelers'
associations, together with perfect burglar alarm equipment, have
combined to put him out of business, and his work nowadays is on a
limited scale.
During the past ten years not more than five good bank sneak games
have been pulled off, while there has been a similar reduction in the
raids on jewelry shops.
The Bertillon photographs facilitate the identification of the sneak
and the bankers' and jewelers' organization put up the money with
which to pursue him remorselessly, and soon catch him. Concerning the
bank sneak and his mode of operating:
An expert professional bank "sneak" thief and his associates study
the habits of all employes to determine when the greatest number
are absent (which generally happens at the noon hour), decide how
many confederates will be necessary to engage the attention of the
remaining employes, while the sneak thief noiselessly enters a vault,
teller's cage, or goes to a safe, and commits the robbery.
Confederates are usually of good appearance, understand business
methods, can discuss loans, mortgages, sale of securities, etc., long
enough to allow the "sneak" to operate without discovery. A "sneak"
thief, wearing rubber-soled shoes, will frequently pass within a few
feet of the official or clerk in charge, enter a vault or teller's
cage, or rob a safe or money drawer, without creating the slightest
noise.
A ruse to make the way clear for the "sneak" is for a confederate to
drive in a carriage to the bank or store to be robbed, as a pretext
exhibiting a crutch, or accompanied by a female, requesting some
passer-by to ask the cashier or some other official to step out to the
carriage, which usually occurs when few of the employes are in the
place.
Another device is to hold a large blue print of some property on which
is pretended a loan is desirable, or a bundle of maps offered for
sale, in such position that the view of the official being interviewed
is obstructed, thereby covering the "sneak" and giving him opportunity
to operate.
Another more recent artifice is the telephone; the confederate of the
"sneak" at an appointed minute "calls up" the bank and requests that
the paying teller be sent to the 'phone, and there detains him in
conversation while the "sneak" thief operates; confederates, as may be
necessary, engaging the attention of other employes.