Robbers make off with Rs20 million, injure guard
Security alarms did not respond, says police
Tahir said the police would also investigate whether or not the bank breached the security SOPs. He said that the police would soon obtain the CCTV footage and would try to identify the robbers. PHOTO: MUDASSAR RAJA/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
Six armed bank robbers on Wednesday made off with about Rs20 million from a branch in a busy Rawalpindi cantonment market, seriously injuring a security guard in the process.
The police said that the security alarms did not go off during or after the robbery.
The armed men entered a Bank Al-Falah branch near Chur Chowk at about 2:10pm and held the bank staff and customers hostage at gunpoint. They had already disarmed and injured the security guards by hitting them with their pistols.
The robbers were in the bank for over 20 minutes. They escaped with the cash and a 12-bore repeater rifle taken from one of the injured guards. After the heist, the robbers reportedly fled in a white car.
Another guard who was supposed to be on duty in the main area of the bank was on a prayer break.
A police officer informed The Express Tribune that the security alarm system of the bank did not respond, even after the robbery, adding that the police checked it to determine if it was working or not. The cashiers pushed the panic button multiple times, he added.
The robbers were said to have been talking to each other in Pashto and to the bank staff in Urdu.
The police officer, while asking not to be named, claimed the bank management had not fully adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed with the police for the security. Under the SOPs, the bank needed to have six guards, two outside the main entrance, two inside, and two in a fortified space in the main hall or lobby area, he said. Furthermore, the SOPs require bank staff to push the panic button as soon as they feel threatened, for guards to have metal detectors, and the installation of working CCTV cameras.
Potohar Division SP Attique Tahir said the bank management had not yet informed the police about the total amount of stolen cash.
When asked about the alarms, Tahir said that the police would look into the non-functional security alarms. He further said that banks usually obtained such alarms from security companies operating from either Islamabad or Karachi.
One of the wounded guards was in critical condition, the SP said, explaining that he had tried to fight off the robbers.
Tahir said the police would also investigate whether or not the bank breached the security SOPs. He said that the police would soon obtain the CCTV footage and would try to identify the robbers.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2016.
Six armed bank robbers on Wednesday made off with about Rs20 million from a branch in a busy Rawalpindi cantonment market, seriously injuring a security guard in the process.
The police said that the security alarms did not go off during or after the robbery.
The armed men entered a Bank Al-Falah branch near Chur Chowk at about 2:10pm and held the bank staff and customers hostage at gunpoint. They had already disarmed and injured the security guards by hitting them with their pistols.
The robbers were in the bank for over 20 minutes. They escaped with the cash and a 12-bore repeater rifle taken from one of the injured guards. After the heist, the robbers reportedly fled in a white car.
Another guard who was supposed to be on duty in the main area of the bank was on a prayer break.
A police officer informed The Express Tribune that the security alarm system of the bank did not respond, even after the robbery, adding that the police checked it to determine if it was working or not. The cashiers pushed the panic button multiple times, he added.
The robbers were said to have been talking to each other in Pashto and to the bank staff in Urdu.
The police officer, while asking not to be named, claimed the bank management had not fully adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed with the police for the security. Under the SOPs, the bank needed to have six guards, two outside the main entrance, two inside, and two in a fortified space in the main hall or lobby area, he said. Furthermore, the SOPs require bank staff to push the panic button as soon as they feel threatened, for guards to have metal detectors, and the installation of working CCTV cameras.
Potohar Division SP Attique Tahir said the bank management had not yet informed the police about the total amount of stolen cash.
When asked about the alarms, Tahir said that the police would look into the non-functional security alarms. He further said that banks usually obtained such alarms from security companies operating from either Islamabad or Karachi.
One of the wounded guards was in critical condition, the SP said, explaining that he had tried to fight off the robbers.
Tahir said the police would also investigate whether or not the bank breached the security SOPs. He said that the police would soon obtain the CCTV footage and would try to identify the robbers.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2016.