State FBI office near top in bank robberies

Last year, the Seattle Division of the FBI, which covers all of Washington, had the third-highest number of bank robberies in the country - a state record, according to FBI officials.

Of the FBI's 55 other field offices, only those in Los Angeles and San Francisco reported a higher number, records show.

Washington's 1999 numbers: 334 bank robberies statewide, with 171 of those in King County.

In 116 of the state holdups, FBI records say, robbers brandished a weapon or implied they had one. And in at least 30 of those cases, the robbers were confirmed to be armed with a deadly weapon.

Law-enforcement officials can't say for certain why some areas of the country are hit harder than others. Some speculate that the state's high number of bank branches and outlets, combined with an expansion of banking hours into evenings and weekends, is a factor.

"There's just a lot more opportunity," said FBI spokeswoman Robbie Burroughs.

Since 1997, the number of bank robberies in Washington has remained well above 300 annually, with King County figures staying in the upper 100s, records show.

The first five months of this year show that 2000 is shaping up to be another heavy year for bank robberies. As of late May, there had been 140 bank heists statewide, with 93 in King County.