A recent string of bank robberies has plagued Southern Ontario and Quebec over the past few months, but thanks to a preventative patrol by a Securitas Mobile Patrol Officer, one was stopped.
On the rainy evening of December 25, 2014, Securitas Officer Antonio Jose (Tony) Vasconcelos was conducting a routine ATM vestibule patrol at a Montreal-area bank, when the officer noticed a large amount of water on the floor and base of the wall inside the bank. The officer immediately notified the client and his Supervisor, Pierre Gauthier (pictured above), of his findings and then continued his inspection.
Upon further investigation, the officers found that the leak was coming from a hole in the ceiling that attempted-robbers had created to try to break into the bank’s ATM room. Vasconcelos and Gauthier contacted the police and remained on-site to further investigate the area. They found that the suspect’s tools were left on-site and no money was taken from the ATM or the vault.
Police believe that the patrol inspection by Vasconcelos and Gauthier interrupted the burglary and caused the suspect(s) to flee before they could complete the robbery.
Patrol Supervisor Pierre Gauthier, who has 10 years experience in security, stated: “Upon entering the site, I had a funny feeling; my past experiences encouraged me to go further in my inspection. All the information pointed to a water pipe break, but we took the decision to verify further and then notify police so that a verification of the roof could be done. I am proud to have helped derail the attempted robbery in progress. Teamwork has contributed to the success of this event.”
This is a prime example that while you never know exactly when crime will strike, taking preventative measures such as security patrol inspections can help deter them from happening.
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