Retired FBI agent: Bank robberies have 'reduced dramatically' in recent decades

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A retired FBI agent who spent decades investigating bank robberies and violent crimes said between 80 and 85% of bank robbers get caught. This comes after a Columbus police officer was shot Thursday in response to a stolen vehicle and bank robbery.

Harry Trombitas served in the FBI in Central Ohio for almost 3 decades.

"We typically averaged about 100 bank robberies a year in Central Ohio. The bank robberies have reduced dramatically. I'm talking, they're down to 20 or 30 a year. We were capturing around 80 to 85 percent of all of our bank robbers," he said.

According to FBI bank crime statistics there were more than 1,700 bank robberies in 2021. Ohio saw 48 of those bank robberies. Trombitas said those numbers were much higher just a decade ago. He attributes some of that decrease to an increase in modern technology like surveillance systems.

"Bank surveillance photos in general have gotten much better although I'm a little disappointed in the surveillance image I saw on TV. "We can take a picture of the, you know mars and it's crystal clear. And our bank surveillance images, in some cases, are not so good," he added.

Trombitas said he believes a decrease in bank robberies may be a product of smarter criminals too. "Robbing a bank is not going to get you much money. Chances are you're going to get caught," he said.

One of the three suspects in Thursday's crime spree is still on the run.