To catch a new-age thief

Armed raids may still be the norm in the world of cops 'n' bank robbers, but Peter Madigan expresses concern over the inevitable growth of online theft and how soon the massive risk will make itself heard

When a man named Edward Smith walked into the City Bank of New York on Wall Street on the morning of March 19 1831, it is unlikely he realised that he was about to go down as the first bank robber in American history. In addition to that dubious distinction and $245,000 of the bank's money, Smith was also the unlucky recipient of five years in the notorious Sing Sing Correctional Facility when the authorities finally caught up with him.

As long as banks have existed there have been thieves eager