# Is it possible to rob a bank these days? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362 "2016-01-27T14:02:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/21 "2016-01-27T18:37:27Z")
When asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” I guess it ain’t so anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/22 "2016-01-27T21:25:58Z")
Heck, in my town, banks were getting robbed about once a week for a while last year. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/23 "2016-01-27T21:33:33Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > When asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” I guess it ain’t so anymore. That’s probably an apocryphal story. But beyond that what he meant was “Because that’s where the poorly guarded money is.” A bunch of money is still there. The “poorly guarded” part is what’s changed. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/24 "2016-01-27T22:50:39Z")
Reminds me of this: > [@Paul Newman (as Butch Cassidy)](#): > > Fellas, bad as they are, banks are better than trains. They don’t move, they stay put, you _know_ the money’s in there. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/25 "2016-01-28T00:04:59Z")
Bank robbers can only dream of the haul that was there for the taking in Iraq: [$12 Billion in cash sent to Iraq vanishes](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/08/usa.iraq1) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/26 "2016-01-28T01:55:27Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > A lot of robberies target pharmacies, because the criminals are after drugs. A lot of robberies target gas stations, because the criminals are broke and in nicotine withdrawal (“a carton of Malbro and all the cash in the drawer”). For some reason, these aren’t often counted as “drug related crimes” ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362/27 "2016-01-28T03:12:20Z")
The smart criminals who organise in groups and actually plan have entirely moved onto jewels. Much more lucrative, less security, not as easily traced and plenty of buyers overseas who don’t care where they came from. The people behind the 2013 Carlton Cannes heist got away with over $100 million in jewels and have not been caught. > **[2013 Carlton Cannes heist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Carlton_Cannes_heist)** > > The Cannes jewel heist was an armed robbery at the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, a city on the French Riviera. The thief stole gemstones and watches ultimately valued at $136 million (€103 million/£89 million). (Initial estimates had only reached $53 million (€37–38 million/£33-34 million), as they had not taken into account another room in the hotel). > The valuables were stolen from a private hotel salon, which was very poorly guarded, the guards having no weapons. The jewels were pr... Anyone stupid enough to still try robbing a bank is probably a lone meth / heroin addict acting in desperation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-rob-a-bank-these-days/744362.md?page=1)