Picture this: you urgently need cash after sunset. You drive to what looks like a convenient ATM, but something feels off. The poorly lit area makes your skin crawl. You remember news stories about ATM robberies. Suddenly, that quick cash withdrawal doesn’t seem worth the risk. This scenario plays out countless times across American cities every night.
ATM crimes in America reportedly increased significantly from 2019 to 2020. Most bank ATM robberies occur at night between 8 pm and midnight, when the machine only produces 10% of the daily transactions. Between 7 pm and 4 am, the ATMs handle only 11% of the total daily transactions but suffer 60% of the crime.
The darkness creates a perfect storm for criminal activity, leaving residents in certain cities particularly fearful.
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore now holds the distinction of having the highest murder rate among large cities in America, surpassing Memphis, according to the latest FBI crime reports. Baltimore also leads in robbery rates among major cities, while maintaining high rates across most violent crime categories. In 2024, over 200 homicides were recorded…