Bank robbery surge as Spaniards turn to crime to beat economic crisis

Bank robberies are on the rise in Spain as amateur criminals resort to over-the-counter stick-ups to solve their money problems.

Spain's banking association has reported a 20 per cent increase in the number of robberies carried out at high street branches in the last two years.

With Spain suffering the highest level of unemployment in Europe and banks denying credit, the trend is towards first time offenders attempting heists usually reserved for hardened criminals.

"In recent months, it has become apparent that Spain is suffering from an increase in bank robberies," Francisco Perez Abellan, the head of criminology at Camilo Jose Cela University in Madrid, told the New York Times.


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