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Want To Hunt Bank Robbers? There's an App For That, Says The FBI (networkworld.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the bandits-vs-bandwidth dept.

Long-time Slashdot reader coondoggie quotes an article from Network World: The FBI today said it released a new application making it easier for the public -- as well as financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and others -- to view photos and information about bank robberies in different geographic areas of the country.
The FBI's new "Bank Robbers" application runs on both Android and iOS, according to the article, "and lets users sort bank robberies by the date they occurred, the category they fall under (i.e., armed serial bank robber), the FBI field office working the case, or the state where the robbery occurred." The app ties into BankRobbers.fbi.gov, which overlays FBI information about bank robberies onto Google Maps.

The app's users "can also select push notifications to be informed when a bank robbery has taken place near their location," according to the FBI's site, which adds innocently that "If the location services on your device are enabled, you can view a map that shows the relevant bank robberies that took place in your geographic area..."

30 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. FBI looking for frequent users by turkeydance · · Score: 4, Insightful

    for specific situations. some criminals like to read about themselves.

  2. Is it necessary to rob a bank anymore? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Damn ATM is right outside...

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    1. Re:Is it necessary to rob a bank anymore? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Forgot to ask,

      Do we get to shoot 'em?

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  3. Security Cameras by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I read to the point where it they said photos are involved. Instantly I knew this plan would not solve anything. The major reason security cameras are totally useless, everyone knows that. Have you ever seen a security camera that took non blotchy video? Few if any security camera exists that takes clear enough video to be usable in identifying suspects.

    1. Re:Security Cameras by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      I read to the point where it they said photos are involved. Instantly I knew this plan would not solve anything. The major reason security cameras are totally useless, everyone knows that. Have you ever seen a security camera that took non blotchy video? Few if any security camera exists that takes clear enough video to be usable in identifying suspects.

      Your mistake is in assuming that 'security cameras' are meant to take usable video. They are not. They are meant to lower insurance rates and convey a false sense of security to the general public.

      None of that requires good video quality.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    2. Re:Security Cameras by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That used to be true but now it's not. There's plenty of 1080p digital security hardware now. If you have enough of them even crappy old cameras are useful. They show who got into a vehicle, then some witness fingers the vehicle, etc. But now it's not unusual for a really good face shot to come from someone's security cam.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Security Cameras by BlueStrat · · Score: 2

      That used to be true but now it's not. There's plenty of 1080p digital security hardware now. If you have enough of them even crappy old cameras are useful. They show who got into a vehicle, then some witness fingers the vehicle, etc. But now it's not unusual for a really good face shot to come from someone's security cam.

      You're right in that it's not as universally true as it once was particularly with newer businesses and big-box stores etc, but among older sole proprietorships and Chapter 'S' corporations which still make up the majority of businesses and employers in the US it's still true to a great extent.

      If they upgrade video security equipment it's usually because the old hardware stopped working due to age and the better stuff was what was readily available at a discount to replace it and/or the new insurance plan has stipulations regarding security systems covering minimum acceptable video quality capability (and plans and regulations vary widely from carrier to carrier and State to State, even town to town and county to county).

      It's not necessarily because they're cheap or don't care, it's more a matter of being more concerned with meeting next pay-period's payroll/taxes and similar immediate and pressing business-life/death concerns that small businesses regularly face day-in and day-out.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  4. Criminals by Grady+Martin · · Score: 1

    I'd rather have an app to hunt the banks.

  5. Trust is lacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Install an app made by the FBI? Uh, no thanks.

    1. Re:Trust is lacking by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

      Especially one that says, "Oh, we need to use your GPS. But just so we can tell you where the bad people are around you! Really! We wouldn't use it for anything else..."

  6. Perfect Alibi by BlueStrat · · Score: 1, Funny

    I don't know why bank robbers and other criminals don't simply claim they were on the way to the Clinton Foundation with a bag full of foreign lobbyist's checks when they tripped and fell into a bank robbery without any intent to actually rob a bank.

    I'm sure Director Comey will understand. They may even get an Ambassadorship out of the deal from Hilly!

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  7. Fuck the FBI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Why would I want to help those criminals? Come to think of it fuck the banks too.

  8. what the?! I'd sooner install death on my phone! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ROTFL!

    Yes, of course FBI that illegally spies on people, that uses more methods to bend, and creatively interpret the law than your average bank robber.. yes, PLEASE can I have apps that you author to install?

    Oh wait, I'm already running a few you uploaded to Google Play under false identities to track and root my device, so maybe this app is legit I guess.

  9. turn tables by kqc7011 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How about a app that lets one find Stingrays?

    --
    Passionately Indifferent
    1. Re:turn tables by gijoel · · Score: 1

      Don't worry they'll find you.

    2. Re:turn tables by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      Aren't there ones that detect if you're connected to a Stingray?

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  10. It's not the app America needs... by Powercntrl · · Score: 1

    ...it's the app America deserves.

    I've seen enough Batman movies to know it's a bad idea to be a vigilante. Also, bat nipples.

    --

    ---
    DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
  11. I loaded the app ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    .... and all I could see was the Goldman Sachs home page.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  12. Yeah.. who trusts the FBI? by Cyberpunk+Reality · · Score: 1

    FBI Bank Robbers APK Can access your contacts FBI Bank Robbers APK Can access your accounts FBI Bank Robbers APK Can access your USB storage FBI Bank Robbers APK May share your location

    --
    Rule 35 of the internet: "If it can be hacked, it will be". - Charles Stross
  13. Am I paranoid ... by MondoGordo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    to think this would be a perfect opportunity for FBI malware that collects information about the American public to be distributed to your phone? They don't need a back door in the OS if you can be convinced to install one for them.

  14. Can we please have titles written by adults? by rebelwarlock · · Score: 1

    Trying to be cute with an article title appeals only to the lowest common denominator.

  15. Nope. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Banks ARE robbers.

  16. Re:ONLY apps can app apps! by THE_WELL_HUNG_OYSTER · · Score: 1

    This.

  17. Considering recent history by sa1lnr · · Score: 1

    I thought you only had to look at the board of directors. :)

  18. Who robs banks anymore? by Catmeat · · Score: 1

    Who robs banks anymore? The take is comparatively low, the risk of capture extremely high and prison sentences lengthy.

    It's a crime that is rapidly dying out,

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new...

    https://www.theguardian.com/ed...

  19. This is really useful ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1

    it tells me which banks have been robbed most often and where the cases are not solved. Thus which ones I should rob since I would be most likely to not get caught!

    Thanks FBI - a great tool to help me plan my next bank job!

  20. Re:Crowdsourcing by DarkVader · · Score: 1

    There is no such duty.

    Under certain circumstances it may be illegal to actively conceal a crime, but you have absolutely no duty to report a felony.

  21. Re:What I'd like to know by fafalone · · Score: 1

    That only protects the teller. Most banks are (rightfully) unwilling to put their customers and floor employees lives at risk over the $1-2k or less in a tellers drawer. A lot of robbers don't even display weapons.

  22. Re: no... by mandy2tom · · Score: 1

    Of course I tell the police where a bank robber was otherwise he might rob my house next. But why not just ask the NSA clearly most criminals are too dumb to turn the phone off and very few murders or premeditated So therefore they also have the phone on. And once they're in jail since it costs more than college anyway force them to take a 4 year "MOOK" class "college class online" "Massive open online course" on @Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  23. Re:no... by peawormsworth · · Score: 1

    I would use it to locate bank robbers so I could take them to lunch and ask them how they had the balls to carry it out. Inquiring minds want to know.