Why most bank robberies are on Fridays
By Laura Bruce • Bankrate.com

If you are really worried about being in a bank during a robbery, it would be a good idea to avoid going to the bank on Friday mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

According to the FBI, more bank robberies happen on Fridays than any other day, and the most popular time for banks to be robbed is between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

"Banks used to have more money on Fridays because, historically, it was payday. It's probably still a perception, but it's not necessarily true today," says FBI agent Ken Neu.

"As for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., it's the beginning of the banking day, and it's perceived that there's still a lot of money in the bank as opposed to the end of the day in terms of hard cash. Again, probably more a perception than a reality."

You might want to consider using a bank branch that's located in a supermarket.

"There was some concern about putting banks in supermarkets," Neu says. "The thinking was they might be more vulnerable, but they seem less vulnerable. They'd have to take over a supermarket to get control, and it might not be as easy as taking over a bank branch.

"Also, the supermarkets don't want the liability, so some of the security measures installed are more expensive and higher quality, although that's not universal."

Here are some bank robbery statistics for 2000 compiled by the FBI.

-- Posted: June 7, 2002