Do customer-friendly bank branches abet theft?

Washington Mutual was a pioneer in the move toward retail-friendly bank branches. One innovation was the use of "teller towers," kiosks that replaced traditional glass-windowed teller stations. But one man says that because of the new setup, more than $20,000 of his cash was exposed on a "little podium" for all to see. Sanchez said he told the teller he didn't feel comfortable leaving the branch with all that cash. Soon after, he was robbed by someone who had just been videotaped inside the branch. (The bank declined to accept the deposit because his drivers license had expired.) This is not the first complaint about the new layout. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, among others, has complained the approach may encourage theft.

For more on this incident:
- Here's a Los Angeles Times article

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