Centennial Banks in Little Rock Targeted By Robbers
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 1, 2012
Centennial Bank branches appear to be popular targets for bank robbers.
After the most recent robbery over the weekend, we pulled the numbers.
So far, Little Rock Police have worked a total of 11 bank robberies this year and five were at Centennial Bank branches.
We got those numbers after a relative of a centennial bank employee suggested they were being targeted because of a lack of security measures.
Bank officials declined to talk to us on camera Wednesday because there is still an open investigation into the most recent robbery Saturday.
They say they do have security measures in place and are constantly, they say, looking to improve safety of their customers and employees.
But they admit they do not have on-site security guards at any of their locations.
And Little Rock police say those guards often do act as deterrents for would-be bank robbers.
"They usually target a bank where there's no security, they don't want any problems, they want to make their demands, get in and get out as quickly as possible," said Sgt. Cassandra Davis with the Little Rock Police Department.
Sgt. Davis, though, says she thinks it's just coincidence centennials have been targeted. One possible explanation for the numbers: their branches are relatively close to highways with easy access of getaways.
The robber in the latest Centennial Bank heist is still on the loose but police have made arrests in all other cases.
After the most recent robbery over the weekend, we pulled the numbers.
So far, Little Rock Police have worked a total of 11 bank robberies this year and five were at Centennial Bank branches.
We got those numbers after a relative of a centennial bank employee suggested they were being targeted because of a lack of security measures.
Bank officials declined to talk to us on camera Wednesday because there is still an open investigation into the most recent robbery Saturday.
They say they do have security measures in place and are constantly, they say, looking to improve safety of their customers and employees.
But they admit they do not have on-site security guards at any of their locations.
And Little Rock police say those guards often do act as deterrents for would-be bank robbers.
"They usually target a bank where there's no security, they don't want any problems, they want to make their demands, get in and get out as quickly as possible," said Sgt. Cassandra Davis with the Little Rock Police Department.
Sgt. Davis, though, says she thinks it's just coincidence centennials have been targeted. One possible explanation for the numbers: their branches are relatively close to highways with easy access of getaways.
The robber in the latest Centennial Bank heist is still on the loose but police have made arrests in all other cases.
