The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Burglar alarms to be fixed at TASMAC outlets

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Sunday, Sep 14, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Burglar alarms to be fixed at TASMAC outlets

R. Rajaram

Outlets where business exceeds Rs. 50,000 a day, those in isolated places chosen

— Photo: M. Moorthy.

Soft target: A TASMAC wine shop on the Tiruchi-Thanjavur Highway near Ariyamangalam in Tiruchi.

TIRUCHI: Installation of burglar alarms in select Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor shops across Tiruchi Region is a conscious effort of authorities to prevent thefts.

As a pilot measure, the TASMAC authorities identified 45 outlets in Tiruchi Region, comprising Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Karur, Perambalur, Cuddalore and Villupuram districts for installation of the alarms a few months ago. This safety-related precautionary move came in the wake of burglary in such outlets across the state.

Officials say five outlets from each district in Tiruchi Region, where the total number of liquor shops exceeds 1,000, were handpicked for installing the alarms.

Outlets where the volume of business exceeded Rs. 50,000 a day, and those located in isolated places, theft-prone areas, and on highways were specifically chosen for the installation.Authorities say culprits see a soft target in the TASMAC shops that generate high business, especially during week-ends.

A few months ago a TASMAC shop situated near Musiri bus stand in the district was burgled and cash over Rs. 45,000 was reported stolen. In another instance, liquor cases were taken away. Tiruchi District alone accounts for over 200 shops.

TASMAC officials are certain that burglar alarms will serve as deterrent for thefts. Police officials, on their part, have advised the TASMAC authorities on the measures they need to adhere to for preventing thefts.

One such was to desist from the practice of keeping money inside the shops after its closure, and to nominate a shop employee to stay put at the outlet during night hours in turns.

Additional centre lock

The shops had also been advised to have an additional centre lock along with the two side locks to make break-in difficult, and to use cash chests.

A senior police officer said most liquor shops had begun to follow the instructions. Barring the Musiri incident, no other theft incident in a TASMAC shop had been reported either in Tiruchi city or in Tiruchi Rural limits till now, say the police authorities.

TASMAC officials say additional protection in the form of wire mesh had been provided in shops which did not have concrete roofing. A senior official said phased installation of burglar alarms in more outlets was on the anvil.

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