Saying that efforts of the Baltimore Police Department have led to a significant drop in bank robberies this year, NationsBank donated $5,000 yesterday to the agency to be used for rewards.

The money was donated to the department's Metro Crime Stoppers program, which rewards citizens for information, in recognition of the work of Lt. Larry Leeson, head of the robbery unit.

"Baltimore City has done a tremendous job," said Michael J. Bacon, vice president of corporate security at NationsBank. "They are willing to try new things. This team of professionals is directly responsible for the decrease."

The number of bank robberies in Baltimore has varied widely. There were 116 in 1993, 51 in 1994, 68 in 1995, a record 133 in 1996, 115 last year and 45 so far this year, according to police.

Thirty NationsBank branches in the city were robbed in the first nine months last year, compared with four this year, Bacon said.

Pub Date: 9/23/98