HATS GET A BAD RAP AT BANKS IN ARKANSAS

Branches of the Arvest Bank in Arkansas have created a “No Hats, No Hoods, No sunglasses” bank robbery prevention program. The reason hats (hoods and sunglasses) are not allowed to be worn inside the bank is because of the numerous armed robberies by men donning them as a disguise.

Following an incident at Metropolitan Bank, the Bankers Association moved toward enacting a robbery prevention program that has been successful in other states. (This is not good news for hat business, but you have to hand it to them for trying to avert the bad guys from taking money that doesn’t belong to them).

The banks that have adopted “No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses” are asking customers to remove these items before entering the bank. “Although these may seem like simple clothing accessories, they are also effectively used by bank robbers as subtle and practical disguises,” said a spokesperson for the bank.

“They’re common, inconspicuous and popular items that everybody has,” said Steve Frazier, special agent and media representative for the FBI in Little Rock.

“If you have a hat and sunglasses on, you can cover quite a bit of your face.” According to reports, this rule has “reduced robberies in every state it has been promoted in.”