Security guard, accomplices loot 66 lockers in private bank

Robbers fled with millions of rupees in cash and valuables

KARACHI: A private bank near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal was robbed by the bank security guard on Sunday evening, along with his three accomplices, who broke 66 lockers and fled with millions of rupees in cash, jewellery, important documents and other valuables.

The robbers also took along DVR of the bank's CCTVs and weapons belonging to the security guard on night duty. The branch manager reported the incident to the police at 7pm on Sunday.

According to Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police SP, the security guard was already registered in six cases in various police stations. The suspect was released from jail last year after serving a four-year-term. He was hired by a private security firm just a month ago. The police have registered the case and started further probe.

The suspected security guard was identified as Kashif son of Syed Anwar Ali. He, along with three accomplices, used metal rods, gas cutters and welding equipment to break into 66 lockers on the bank's second floor.



According to police, the branch manager, Syed Ashraf Zaidi, visited the bank on Sunday evening to resolve an issue with the ATM machine over a citizen's complaint to the bank's head office.

Upon arrival, he found that the gate of the bank office was not opening and so peeked through the window. He saw the guard inside indicating some trouble.

He immediately called the head office of the security company, after which its personnel along with police reached the site, broke the gate and released the guard on duty, Mukhtar.

Mukhtar informed that when he came in for duty at 7pm, the guard of the store room had his limbs tied and was injured. Kashif and his accomplices captured Mukhtar as well and tied him with ropes to the chair.

When he resisted, the accused also hit him.

The manager informed the police that he discovered that 66 lockers were broken and valuables inside were missing. In addition, the suspects had also taken away a TT pistol and a repeater belonging to the security company.

Gulshan-e-Iqbal SP Tahir Ahmed Noorani said that the police was informed that three security guards of the bank had been tied up. When the police reached the crime scene, they found the bank manager and the supervisor of the security company who told them that daytime duty guards were tied so they did not enter the bank.

The bank gate was broken in the presence of the police, after which two of the guards were found tied with ropes while locks on the second floor were broken. Police recovered pieces of metal, gloves, gas cutters and welding equipment from the crime scene.



According to the initial investigations, security guard Kashif along with four others stole Rs3.4 million in a similar burglary incident at a private bank in North Nazimabad in 2013 while DVRs of the CCTV were also taken away.

In addition, the suspects had cut off the wires of the ATM machine running on UPS. The bank staff and the security company have been providing all details to the police while geo-fencing and finger prints of the suspects have also been obtained.

According to SP, the police have demanded details of the security guards deployed at the branch but details of only two of the four guards was provided while the security company does not have any information pertaining to the guard involved.

The SP further said that Kashif faces six cases in Shah Faisal, Sharae Faisal and North Karachi. The police, after registering a case against security guard and his accomplices under section 392 and 337, have started their investigation. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2019.