The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Bank robbery was waiting to happen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Bank robbery was waiting to happen

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 10. With no compound wall, absence of security guard or security alarm except on the main door and the fragile window grills, theft in Canara bank building of Sainikpuri branch could have taken place any time. And the officials concerned not paying heed to the warning bells that came in the form of two burglary attempts earlier, only made the job of the thieves easier.

In the absence of a compound wall, anybody could straight away go to the terrace of the bank from the staircase. Generally, not more than Rs. 20 lakhs is stored in the strong room of the bank.

Sources said that a client had asked the bank manager to keep ready Rs. 40 lakhs saying he had to take the cash to Bangalore on some business work. However, the customer changed his mind in the last minute and took a demand draft for Rs. 25 lakhs forcing the authorities to keep the amount in the strong room.

Gang from Rajasthan?

Though property offences involving drilling a hole on concrete slab were not reported recently, investigating officers said that a Rajasthan-based gang had earlier adopted similar modus operandi to break into buildings. The gang enters other States for transporting marble stone and while leaving for Rajasthan, commit burglaries, the police maintained.

No fingerprints were collected from the strong room in the bank. Except for a piece of cloth and a lighter, offenders did not leave any tools used to commit the offence.

The Cyberabad Police Commissioner, M. Mahender Reddy, announced a reward of Rs. 1.5 lakh for those catching the culprits or passing on information leading to arrest of the gang.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh