When Was The Last Bank Robbery In the UK?

Despite the potentially lucrative yields, bank robberies are an increasingly rare occurrence in the UK.

In contrast, bank robberies were a near-daily occurrence in the 1990s.

A total of 847 bank robberies were carried out in 1992 (291 in London alone), compared to just 66 bank robberies in 2011.

Three decades ago, bank workers ran a considerable risk of being caught up in a robbery attempt.

The days of the big heist, where a team of professional criminals executed a large-scale robbery of significant amounts of cash, are practically gone.

Now, attempted bank robberies tend to be smaller in scale.

When was the last bank robbery in the UK and why have they become far less frequent over recent decades?

When was the last bank robbery in the UK?

In 2022, the most successful bank robbery for a number of years took place at a branch of Santander in Brixton.

Posing as a G4S security guard completing a pick-up, a man was able to walk off with £150,000.

An attempted armed robbery took place in August 2024 when an armed man entered the Arab National Bank in Mayfair, London.

However, this security-conscious bank for high-asset individuals was able to handle the intruder, who was swiftly arrested.

A robbery in Leigh, Greater Manchester a year earlier was more successful.

On that occasion, the robber appeared to have a weapon hidden in a carrier bag and was able to escape with a relatively small amount of money.

When bank robberies do occur, they often fit the pattern of the incident in Leigh and involve individuals, often with addiction issues, attempting to steal smaller sums to meet their immediate needs.

Despite their smaller scale than the headline grabbing bank robberies of the earlier decades, they’re still frightening for bank and other staff.

Why are bank robberies becoming less frequent?

Bank robberies have become far less lucrative than one might assume.

Banks carry far less cash than previously thanks to the proliferation of digital banking and fintech apps. This has greatly reduced the pay-off for would-be bank robbers, who conclude the risks simply no longer outweigh the reward.

According to British Bankers Association (BBA) chief Anthony Browne, the decline can be attributed to the measures that banks have put into place that prevent armed robberies.

He said: “Anyone trying to rob a bank now faces much better CCTV, protective screens that can rise in less than a second, and even special fog designed to disperse criminals.”

While banks rarely release statistics or information about robberies at their branches, a study conducted by two University of Sussex researchers, Neil Rickman and Robert Witt, obtained confidential records from the British Bankers’ Association detailing 364 bank heists that occurred in the UK between 2005 and 2008.

They found that 33 per cent of bank heists deliver zero gains for the robber and that the odds of arrest increase dramatically if the robber persists in their attempts.

On the fourth attempt, the odds of capture are as high as 59 per cent.

The impact of bank security screens

Bank teller screens made from bullet-resistant or glazed materials protect the staff and the immediate secured area from outside threats and violent attacks.

These screens will not completely shatter, even if fired at, which deters and slow down assailants.

These screens will also help staff feel safer, which can be helpful during a stressful robbery.

Given the majority of robberies take place at the tellers’ counter, panic could lead to injuries and fatalities if customers were to become aware that a robbery was taking place.

They might startle the robber or attempt to intervene. In most cases, the robber simply passes a note to the teller and receives the funds without the customers in the bank being the wiser.

When staff feel protected, they are also far happier at work, knowing their employer values their lives and makes their safety a priority.

Bank teller screens are non-intrusive, and tellers and customers can easily communicate and conduct business through pass-through trays and voice transmission openings.

In many cases, bank teller screens are effective deterrents.

Bank robbers need to leave the building with their haul as quickly as possible and screens indicate that they are facing a much tougher target and cannot intimidate staff as easily.

Your first line of defence from Safetell

Safetell has provided the banking industry with reliable, adaptable protection for decades.

Our screens are adaptable and can be designed to match your aesthetic, accommodating too any counter accessories you desire without compromising the safety of your establishment or staff.

Safetell screens provide manual attack and ballistic-resistance protection. We also supply and install speed gates to protect your bank from unauthorised access.

If you would like to know more, get in touch with Safetell.