[DCEite]

Originally Posted by YaeJay

I totally disagree with a 90+ gaurd being posted. What I meant was, even a 50 yr old untrained gaurd is not going to stop. We cannot expect them to risk their lives. It is very rare, that some motivated ATM thief does it on the go. It is obvious they do their home work. I guess you watched this particular video. How long does he take to enter, pull out a gun etc. They do their dry runs, choose the ATM, Pick their target and also know the risks.

YaeJay, my point is not to do with the age of the guard, but the fact that its better to have any human being - old or young - than to have no one at all. Atleast he can report the incident to cops even if he runs away for his life. Ofcourse its best to have a young and fit guard - nothing better than that, but this is India my friend - a country where even cops in capital city use 60 year old rifles and machinery.

And i don't remember seeing ATM guards *inside* the ATM. Perhaps during night time they do so, but then during late night there is very little probability anyway of a customer using the ATM - that too a woman.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Exactly, the above is an urban myth at best

But I was wondering....

Why don't banks issue an SOS pin, an additional one to every one, which when keyed in issues an alert and lock the account?

[YaeJay]

Originally Posted by DCEite

YaeJay, my point is not to do with the age of the guard, but the fact that its better to have any human being - old or young - than to have no one at all. Atleast he can report the incident to cops even if he runs away for his life. Ofcourse its best to have a young and fit guard - nothing better than that, but this is India my friend - a country where even cops in capital city use 60 year old rifles and machinery.

And i don't remember seeing ATM guards *inside* the ATM. Perhaps during night time they do so, but then during late night there is very little probability anyway of a customer using the ATM - that too a woman.

It has everything to do with it. Yes, as you said report, I had asked earlier is he fit enough to run a mile? Yes, I have observed post 11pm most gaurds even at private bank ATMS are fast asleep inside and there have been many instances they are not even aware someone walked in. This is the sad truth. Yes, there is a very little probability of a customer using the ATM that too a woman late at night. There is also a very little probability of someone attacking the woman in broad daylight.

so what makes someone use the ATM late at night? they all do know the risks. What does an ATM replace? a few bank staff? If the banks cant protect their money ( their headache), the least they can do is protect their customers.

seeing is everything right, next time you go to a manned ATM, observe te gaurd. When the sleepless night shows up, ride down to the usual ATMs that you are used to and others that you are not used to.

This is not about my point,your point or the teams point, its about banks taking care of the situation. We are all 'customers'.

[500ContyCruiser]

Yesterday evening police were shutting down ATM's at Sahakar Nagar.

Report in today's newpaper,

http://toi.in/gSbrGY

[DCEite]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

Yesterday evening police were shutting down ATM's at Sahakar Nagar.

Report in today's newpaper,

http://toi.in/gSbrGY

Did they shut down the one opposite Sterling Park apartment (I think its Karnataka Bank ATM) - this one has a very old guard.

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Did they shut down the one opposite Sterling Park apartment (I think its Karnataka Bank ATM) - this one has a very old guard.

Not sure. I did not check other places.

The one I am talking is, Axis bank ATM near the park \ playground (next to a bakery). I had thought, some problem with shop-owner and hence they were shutting down. Now after reading the news, realized why it was.

[Gansan]

It would be best to keep a low daily withdrawal limit on our ATM cards, and visit the branch for larger withdrawals.

There is a HDFC bank branch and two ATMS (KVB and HDFC) in front of my apartment block, each separated by a couple of buildings in between. The HDFC ATM was in existence long before the branch came up, so is not in the same building. All of them have round the clock security guards.

There is a shotgun wielding security guard at the bank during business hours, and two unarmed chaps take over for the night. But they are a lot better than the "guards" of the ATMs, who are merely superannuated chaps. All of them will bring their chairs and hold a "conference" at night in front of the KVB ATM which is in a central location, from where they can keep an eye on their respective posts! But superannuated or not, the mere presence of a guard will be a deterrent; not because they will fight, but because a miscreant will have to silence two people instead of one.

I also see the police patrol jeep visiting the ATMs at regular intervals and the policemen signing a register inside the ATM. Around midnight, the policemen will park their jeep in front of our complex and take a nap inside an ATM each in air-conditioned comfort, while the guards sit outside and palaver loudly! So much so, we have dispensed with the night watchman for our complex and employ one for the day time alone! It must be a real brave thief who will come and break in to a building when a police jeep is parked outside!

We keep friendly terms with all those guards and allow them the use of the servants' loo in our complex, so they also keep an eye on our complex from where they sit! Sadly none of the banks have made any arrangements for them in this regard.

[srishiva]

I saw a lot of ATMs shutdown yesterday. They were really mushrooming everywhere and now the banks might close most of them.
With a similar crime reported (although not in the ATM but related to ATM cards) and video showing a similar person, hopefully this guy will be caught at the earliest.

[motomaverick]

After reading the details of the incident, did not have the courage to see the video. Now thinking back I might have used that Corp Bank ATM few years back and the area is really busy even at 7am in the morning. It is quite shocking to see this incident.

1 counter measure could be installing magnetic strip locks on the doors. I have seen few SBI ATMs employ this system earlier but most of them are non-functioning now.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by shipnil

I can't stop but think what stops banks to converts these ATM kiosks into "Hole (machine) in the wall' like what you have in the West.

There are many such ATMs in Bangalore.

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Now thinking back I might have used that Corp Bank ATM few years back and the area is really busy even at 7am in the morning.

Nobody noticed, since the shutter was down.

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Another very important aspect is tp either do away with the rolling shutters or to ensure that this is kept in locked at the top so that no attacker can easily pull it down to have his own domain, as happened in this case.

Yes, there is no need for these rolling shutters.

[behaln]

shameful incident , there's no safety of women or even men , I have n number of ATM's near my house , none of them is having either a lock or a safety guard.
Its high time i think we must equip ourselves better to fight all this menace.

[sukhoi30]

Here is a thought. Why can't the banks have ATMs that are completely open? I have seen in UK that there are many ATMs that have only the monitor and keys coming out of a solid wall. The rest of the ATM is inside a shop or a kiosk. And most of them are in busy streets or thoroughfares. I understand that this does not completely reduce the danger of mugging but at least, thieves will think twice before attacking anyone in the open.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

......Why can't the banks have ATMs that are completely open? I have seen in UK that there are many ATMs that have only the monitor and keys coming out of a solid wall. The rest of the ATM is inside a shop or a kiosk. And most of them are in busy streets or thoroughfares......

No offense to our national habits, but our 'Peeping Tom' mentality will make this a huge nuisance to anyone using such an ATM.


Jokes apart, it will be a huge security risk too. Can you imagine withdrawing money from such an ATM on a busy street, with nothing separating you (& your money) from the hundreds walking by? This won't work in India, at least not on the open streets which are impossible to police with our current law-enforcement standards. Other countries have such a setup, not because there's no crime, but because their police aren't always unreachable just when you need them.

[amit]

While we are asking for security guards at ATM's, what if the security guard attacks the robs a ATM visitor!?

[CaliAtenza]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

After reading the details of the incident, did not have the courage to see the video. Now thinking back I might have used that Corp Bank ATM few years back and the area is really busy even at 7am in the morning. It is quite shocking to see this incident.

1 counter measure could be installing magnetic strip locks on the doors. I have seen few SBI ATMs employ this system earlier but most of them are non-functioning now.

the thief could just smash the glass. The magnetic strip locks are useless. I remember using the SBI ATM on New BEL road near Ramaiah Hospital all the time at or around 10-11 pm at night; the guard would always be sleeping inside. I always tried not to use any ATM at night, but i felt safe enough because my flat was just a little ways down the road.

I have moved back home to the US now, but if i lived in India permanently, i would arm myself, at all times, both at home and on my person. I dont or wouldnt care that guns are illegal, India is becoming more dangerous by the day, you have to protect yourself.