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Theft, fraud put banks on alert

Rajesh Nair

The entrance to a bank in Pondicherry. — Photo: T. Singaravelou

PONDICHERRY: Growing incidents of fraud and theft in banks here have put the police on high alert.

Recently, a gang sprinkled chilli powder in the eyes of a depositor in front of a bank on J N Street and decamped with around Rs 3 lakh. Interrogation of the gang, after its members were arrested, revealed that before committing the crime they had been closely monitoring the customers who come to the bank often to deposit or withdraw money.

In another incident, a servant managed to obtain the pin number of his boss's ATM card and withdrew huge amounts. There have also been a few other cases of ATM fraud reported in Pondicherry.

"Most of the ATM fraud can be avoided if the banks educate their customers properly and customers follow the directions," says B. Srikanth, Additional Superintendent of Police.

These incidents and the robberies in two banks in Kerala made the police call a meeting of all bankers on Saturday.

The banks were told to be on alert and install proper security systems. Some of the banks are yet to install such systems.

Those banks, which do not have theft alarm and auto dialling system, were asked to install the devices. The auto dialling system automatically alerts the nearest police station, if the alarm rings.

Mr. Srikanth said banks have been told to give instructions to the customers to intimate the banks in case the ATM cards are lost.

Also, customers should not reveal the pin numbers to strangers, he added.

Other guidelines to the banks include installation of hidden cameras inside the bank and monitoring the suspicious movement of people in and around the bank.

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