With crime on the rise in New York City, Chase Bank has announced that it will be shutting down numerous ATMs throughout the city earlier than usual.
CNN reports that the ATMs in question, which previously operated 24/7, will now close between 5 and 6 PM, in alignment with the hours when actual banks usually close on weekdays. A JPMorgan Chase spokesman added that some ATMs will close as late as 10 PM.
The bank said that the new policy will only affect a “small number” of machines throughout the city, but did not specify which locations or how many. The company cited “rising crime and vagrancy” as a primary motivation for the decision.
“We review our ATM hours on a case-by-case basis,” Chase said in a statement, “and for a variety of reasons may decide to temporarily close some overnight.”
At a press conference on Monday, Mayor Eric Adams (D-N.Y.) reacted to Chase’s decision by saying that “people don’t want to walk into the ATM and see someone urinating” or see someone screaming and yelling.”
“And that is what I’m saying I need to stop, because I don’t want my ATMs closing down. I don’t want people leaving our city. We have to create an environment that people are safe and feel safe.”
“Ensuring the safety and security of customers and employees has always been a top priority of the banking industry,” said the New York Bankers Association in its own statement. “As issues arise, NYBA and our members evaluate possible trends with the intention of working with banks, law enforcement and the local community toward solutions.”
New York City has been the epicenter of a rising crime wave that can be seen all across the country since the violent race riots in 2020. Overall crime in the nation’s largest city increased by 23.5 percent in 2022.