Deadly Transactions

The Hollywood image of the bank robber, forged on icons like Bonnie and Clyde and Dillinger, is glossy and polished. The truth is different indeed. DEADLY TRANSACTIONS is an unvarnished look at the rapidly changing world of bank robbery, where deaths are on the rise and the criminals are often heavily armed. In Thousand Oaks, California, a 39-year-old mother was caught in the middle of a violent robbery and ruthlessly executed in front of her fellow tellers. In another headline-making case, stunned TV viewers watched as news cameras captured a shootout in the street between police and bank robbers armed with body armor and automatic weapons. And in the Midwest, a father and son team kept a detailed record of their string of robberies, which eventually helped convict them. Here, experts examine how a traditionally victimless crime is increasingly turning violent. Security experts and law enforcement personnel detail the response, from more secure bank buildings to paramilitary weapons for police. And eyewitnesses tell of their brushes with death at the hands of the new breed of bank robber. DEADLY TRANSACTIONS gets the goods on the harsh reality of bank robbery today.