It Takes a Thief

First, station an armed guard at every branch. Keep those "hidden cameras" out in the open; a man who decides to hold up a bank is always looking for an excuse to back out of it. Beware of blank checks that are easily accessible or waste baskets that can be pilfered for crumpled signature cards.

Such crime-prevention tips are being offered to Southern California bankers by expert consultants--a group of ex-convicts who used to specialize in robbery, forgery and credit-card theft. They now are part of Project JOVE (an acronym for Job placement. On the job training, Vocational counseling, Education), which is a San Diego operation to help former prisoners find jobs and adjust to life outside.

Besides lecturing bankers, the ex-cons have been telling Southern California grocers how their stores strike the professional eye. Their initial advice: Don't be too nice to customers. The former thieves were appalled to learn that store owners would willingly tell a stranger what day they had their biggest sales. Other tips: Don't stack large packages like charcoal briquettes in the front window so that passing police cannot see what is going on inside; induce a bit of paranoia with large signs intimating that customers are being watched.

But once a robber makes his move, cooperate fully and never resist. Do not carry a gun. Says Robert McKinney, an ex-forger who runs Project JOVE: "If there is not enough money in the till, write the guy a check." That conjures up the wry possibility of the grocer, pen poised, inquiring, "And whom shall I make it out to?"

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