Banks and convenience stores have dress codes for customers
EUGENE, Ore - You might have heard of a dress code at school, but a dress code at the bank? Some places of business are enforcing stricter rules about what you can and cannot wear inside.
Wells Fargo in downtown Eugene is among several banks on a "no sunglasses" policy.
"We recently had a robbery and that person had sunglasses on," says Branch Manager Randy Snyder.
Dari Mart says "no" to sunglasses, hoods and bicycle and motorcycle helmets.
"You can't wear hoodies up," says employee Pat Mansfield. "We try really hard to enforce all our rules on safety."
So why the dress code? "The idea is to get a better look at your clientele," says Captain Chuck Tilby with the Eugene Police Department. Police say dress codes help them a lot.
If a robber does remove headwear, it gives police a better look at their face. If they don't, it attracts unwanted attention. But most of all, the rules are meant to scare off any potential criminal completely. "They want all the cards stacked in their favor when they're gonna do a robbery," says Captain Tilby. "So they want things to go down in their time, when they're ready. And anything you can do to break their cycle is in your favor."
Back at Wells Fargo we caught one bank-goer, Brenda Brown, with her sunglasses on. Brown says she respects the rules but for some customers like her, the bank does make exceptions. "I have very sensitive eyes to the medication I take," she says. "And it's very glarey in here. It gives me headaches so that's why I wear them."
