Setting to Rest the Whole Bank Robbery Thing

Ok, there is a class of thought I call 'lottery thinking' that goes like this: there's some finite chance I'm going to get rich so even if the odds against me are huge, and its not a profitable thing to do - at least I have this finite chance, I might as well go for it.

In the State of Washington, there were 153 bank robberies and 1 bank burglary in the state during the time period of 1/1/2008 through 12/31/2008. The dollar loss to the state’s banking industry was $743,160. Despite the economic crash, this represents a decline in the numbers. As reported by Seattle Division.

743/154 = 4,889.00 per robbery. Lets say you have at least one accomplice, even a getaway car driver counts there - after all... who would rat you out for reward money? You get the picture. Ok. So. Cut them in. That leaves you with just north of 2,450.00 per job. Lets say you could rob one bank a month. You are now making a grand total of 29,400.00 . But wait it gets better.

Bank Robbery loot is tax free, but traceable. Markers in the bags and GPS chipsets make it easy for the FBI to track your money. They have a little map in their office and they are thinking the whole time - "one robbery, one bankrobber". Each agent gets paid on a G-class schedule , with benefits - totalling 60k per year. Thats almost twice what the bankrobber gets.

70 plus percent of the time, the FBI actually catches whomever does the job. That means that out of a single year, you can work from January to May before you're really pushing the statistical envelope to lose all benefits, income, everything. Its worse than being a GOP campaign manager. If just.

So factor in loss of benefits, and hazard penalties - and you're looking at an average income of 19k per year. Which means you have to file for benefits or unemployment.

Even if you did rob a bank, and get away with it - the 70 percent solution rate applies to all temperatures - the cold case technology gets better each year. So you would have to invest in gear.

A Glock costs you maybe 500.00 . Add to that equipment to keep you from dropping hair, or skin - gloves, and a getaway car - and you're likely up to north of 2,000.00 in expenses (assuming a car lease or something and not just straight purchase).

Which means your 19k just got reduced by overhead on the first job of around 2000.00 plus recurring costs per job of about 150.00 , leaving you with 3,000.00 less cash through the year. Your income is 16k. The average janitor makes 18k.

And so, a bank robber usually ends up making less than the guy who takes out the trash at the bank.