Offlate ATM thefts are increasing in Bangalore and the recent incident of the Corporation Bank manager being attacked in the heart of the city in the morning shows how poor is Bank's monitoring and security systems are. Bangalore Police cannot give security to every ATM with so many banks and so many ATMs across the city. Lots of discussions were going on in various local TV channels and lot many suggestions and complaints in various news papers.
Some things that came to my mind were:
1. Most of the ATMs do not have security guards - Action taken by mandating the security guards.
2. Some of the ATMs have got CCTV cameras, but no live monitoring by Bank's central station or by Police. It would be too much to be monitored by Police, but a Bank can monitor its CCTV cameras from a central location and also utilize retired police or security officials services for monitoring.
Last week's incidence was a live example, what was the use of CCTV cameras when the crime was going on right in front of it.
3. Despite of having security guards, crimes do take place. Lot of ATM guards were attacked and many were even killed with a mob coming together to rob the ATMs.
So, instead of having individual ATMs spread across the cities, especially in remote localities, why not have a group of ATMs guarded by multiple security guards in locality's centre place such as a mall, shopping centre. Even when a mob attacks to rob ATM, there will be group of security guards who can defend and call the police. Even a police could be deployed during night in such a place.
Surrounding areas could be better monitored using police in non-uniform for assaliants planning to launch attack. Atleast if 3-5 ATMs of different banks are hosted together will give better security than an individual ATM.
People also have to be more cautious, it is better to have two bank accounts, one where one's salary is credited whose ATM/debit card should not be carried and other floating account where a minimum amount of around 5000 should be maintained and whose ATM/debit card should be carried by individual.
Better not to carry credit cards all the time and only to be carried while going out for a shopping. Credit card that needs to be carried should have very minimum credit allowance of around 10,000 something like a Bronze card.
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