Governor Evers closes Wisconsin’s bank robbing loophole

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Starting today, robbing a bank in Wisconsin, even if you ask nicely, will definitely get you in trouble. Governor Tony Evers took action on 54 bills today, including one clarifying the definition of what counts as a bank robbery.

“You can’t do that anymore,” Republican Senator Eric Wimberger said after the bill signing.

Wisconsin law had a loophole.

“Up in Green Bay, there was a person who had slipped a note to the teller, did not say anything except $100s, $50s, and $20s, and in a very rough voice said, ‘give me all your money,’” Wimberger said.

The alleged robber was arrested shortly after leaving the bank, but there was a catch.

“Now because force was not used or threatened, just gave everybody the impression of those things, he couldn’t be charged for robbery,” Wimberger said,

The alleged robber probably wasn’t banking on this exception.

“I don’t think he was even looking for a loophole,” Wimberger said. “There just happened to be one.”

University of Wisconsin at Madison law professor John Gross joked, “You don’t have a lot of lawyers robbing banks.”

This loophole existed for so long, perhaps because, “most people do threaten to use force in some way when they rob a bank,” Gross said.

Gross said courts should rule based on exactly how legislation is written.

“If you wanna make it a crime, you have to be specific, so everybody knows it’s a crime,” Gross said. “If you don’t, we’re not going to start reading stuff into it. You have to go back and fix it, legislature.

After the prosecution submitted an amended complaint, the alleged Green Bay robber’s case is back on and set for trial on April 2. However, this new law cannot apply to this case because it was passed after he allegedly robbed the bank.

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