How I Rob Banks

Chapter 15Astute Manager

We have just spoken about the power of the letter of authority and how and why it is needed in my job. Sometimes that the letter is used outside of being caught. One of these times is at the end of the assessment if the client contact is not onsite.

I often call such meetings when I have completed my task. They generally involve me explaining my situation to the senior staff member. This happened once during a bank heist.

I had successfully accessed the bank and gained entry to its secure section. This was not your average high street bank, but rather the type that doesn't keep cash onsite.

I walked up to a staff member and asked them to call the manager. They were unsure how to respond at first but eventually complied, figuring the manager would know what to do with this stranger. A few minutes later, the manager appeared and ushered me into a small room. I explained who I was, where I was from, and what I had been doing. I could see the panic rising in the manager, and I wanted to nip things in the bud before they called the police. I handed over the real letter. There was no point kicking them when they were down; they had failed so massively in other areas that it didn't seem worthwhile. They had much bigger problems.

The manager left the room, clearly suspicious. Eventually, after what felt like far too long, they confirmed my story. They had taken things very seriously and had escalated through the correct chain of command to reach the correct ...