How I Rob Banks

Chapter 60Impersonation

There are certain people you are not allowed to impersonate by law, including police, firemen, and ambulance staff. Additionally, we do not impersonate anyone if doing so may cause distress to the client staff or the general public. Imagine someone walking into a building dressed as a member of a bomb squad and demanding that everyone leave. Effective, for sure, but even with permission from the building owners, it would cause undue distress. Likewise, certain actions could lead to injury: walking into a building and setting off a fire alarm, for instance, or shutting off the power or water. All these actions would be effective but would cause harm and stress, so we do not do those (or similar) things. I try not to impersonate anyone if I can help it—doing so is often not needed anyway.

I remember one time I was faced with gaining access to a private bank and had to make some hard choices.

Let me first explain the type of bank I was trying to infiltrate. You are probably familiar with the standard high-street bank, the type with bulletproof glass, CCTV, and, in some larger branches, security guards. All that security is really about deterring would-be assailants. I am assuming you have read the other chapters—most of this book deals with how I rob those types of banks. This bank was different, though.

Imagine you are wealthy. No, wealthier than that—we are talking beyond the wealth of an average A-list celebrity, the sort of wealth built on generations. ...