6 ATMs GONE IN 6 WEEKS !

In most cases,it was found that the banks concerned had not posted guards or installed cameras. In some cases,cameras inside the ATMs were non-functional.

The first such incident was reported from Bhuj in Kutch district on February 22 when an ICICI ATM installed at the busiest road in the city was found lifted. There was no security guard on night duty and there was no CCTV camera installed either. The ATM contained Rs 3 lakh.

Police investigation revealed that though the bank had hired guards for round-the-clock duty,the night guards never turned up. Besides,the police say,instead of installing or fixing the ATM machine on the floor,the bank had kept it on a table like a television set,making it easier for the robbers.

Vadodara saw back-to-back lifting of three ATMs in March alone,besides a fourth attempt that failed. In the first incident here,the thieves lifted the ATM of Union Bank of India along with the CCTV cameras at Bajwa. The guard,who did not report for duty on the night of theft,was later arrested.

The second theft was reported in Axis Bank at Koyali,where the robbers first disconnected CCTV cameras and then lifted the ATM.

The biggest robbery was reported in Bharuch on Monday,when an SBI ATM containing Rs 21.83 lakh was lifted. The robbers were caught on camera.

On March 18,there was an attempt to lift the ATM of Punjab National Bank in Vadodara. When the robbers failed this time,they broke the ATM machine. They were later arrested.

A K Kataria,deputy general manager (Vadodara region) at the SBI,said,“We are now fixing ATMs to the floor using nuts and bolts and also increasing duty hours for guards. We have an alarm system also. But it had failed. The security providers are keeping a close eye on booths.”

Vadodara Police Commissioner Satish Sharma said,“We have asked all the banks to embed their ATMs in the floor and deploy a security guard at each booth at least at night. Banks have also been asked to furnish details of locations where they plan to set up new ATMs,besides installing additional CCTV cameras and alarm systems.”

In south Gujarat,robbers had attempted to lift two SBI ATMs in Valsad district. In both these cases,they disconnected the CCTV camera installed in the cabin and tried to cut the machine with a gas cutter,but failed.

Valsad SP D B Waghela said,“Bank officials should be more cautious with the ATM booths. If anybody tries to tamper with the ATM,a siren should go off automatically and the main door should get auto-locked so that we can catch the robbers.”

Meanwhile,the SBI has made an urgent appeal to state police chief Chitranjan Singh for help in stronger policing of ATMs. Chief General Manager,SBI,Ramesh Ranjan,said: “There are CCTV cameras but the robbers either disconnect these or run away with that too,making it difficult for banks to keep a watch.”

The bank has appointed special night guards in all its ATMs after the Maninagar robbery on Tuesday.