Robbing Bank, Credit Union in Alaska "Extremely Stupid," FBI Agent Says

WASHINGTON-The high-resolution rate of robberies is not enough to keep criminals from trying it, a Nov. 7 article in the Alaska Journal of Commerce depicted. “It’s stupid to rob a bank anywhere because the solution rate is so high,” Tom McClenaghan, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Alaska, was quoted as saying. “But in Alaska, it’s extremely stupid. The nice thing about Alaska is we are so isolated and the road system is so small. With bank robberies in Anchorage, the robber is most likely to be from here, and he’s got nowhere to go.” Eleven of 12 people who have robbed financial institutions in Alaska this year have been caught. According to the article, the FBI involves itself in crimes against federally insured institutions, including banks and credit unions. Robbing a financial institution is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.