KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—Following three kidnappings of FI employees in this state this year, the Tennessee CU League is planning an educational program to help CUs better prepare for, spot and possibly prevent potential extortion threats.
“We are very concerned about what is happening and we hope this rash of kidnappings in Tennessee is over,” league President Fred Robinson told CUToday.info. “This is very concerning”
Last week’s kidnapping here of SmartBank VP Tanner Harris marks the fourth time this year a financial institution employee has been kidnapped in an effort to rob the FI where the person works. The rash of kidnappings actually began in February outside of Tennessee, at Achieve Financial Credit Union in Connecticut. In that case CFO Matthew Yussman alleged that he was confronted in his home by robbers who forced him to wear a bomb vest and drive to his credit union to get money.
In April, Mark Ziegler, CEO at Y-12, was kidnapped. Authorities reported that Ziegler and his family were held hostage in their home as part of an alleged attempted robbery and extortion plot engineered by two men and a woman. The crooks were not successful in getting money from Y-12.
And then in June, the 64-year-old manager of the 8082 Rockcreek Cove office of FAA CU in Memphis, Tenn., was allegedly kidnapped at her home by two men who forced to her travel to the credit union to obtain funds.
“We are putting together an educational program that we will run at our meeting for board members this fall,” said Robinson. “We will cover things like what to do if a credit union employee or executive is kidnapped, go through a checklist of precautions to take in advance of a threat . . . We are tracking a speaker down now, and expect the person will come from law enforcement.”
In the latest attack on an FI employee, two men broke into Harris’ West Knoxville home early Tuesday morning and took the family hostage, according to published reports. Tanner, his wife and their infant were driven to a SmartBank office where Tanner was forced to withdraw money.
As is case with all previous abduction/robberies to date this year, the alleged perpetrators of this latest crime are still at large. The descriptions of the suspects in the Y-12 FCU and SmartBank cases are very vague, but similar, the FBI reported. FBI agent Ed Reinhold told WBIR there are "strong similarities" between the two incidents, and while they can't be positive, it's "quite possible" they are related.
Robinson said the league also plans to provide materials to its member CUs to make them more aware of the precautions they should already be taking and those they may need to add in light of the events of this year. “I think this will be an ongoing process, making CU staff and management more aware of the reality of the dangers they may face.”
One important reminder the league will pass on to credit unions is that they simply have to be on alert for threats more often. “And that can be difficult,” said Robinson, “not letting your guard down at the grocery store and at home.”
Robinson said he hopes the rash of kidnappings does not lead credit unions to pull back on their community involvement, which he acknowledged may make credit unions bigger targets for extortion attempts.
“CU employees are so visible in the community,” said Robinson. “They work with Habitat for Humanity, participate in fundraisers and heart walks, and appear in the newspaper for supporting their towns. So employees are often recognizable. It would be sad to see management and staff begin to stay in the office because they are an important part of their communities.”