Bank customers advised to use police protection
Bank customers advised to use police protection
JAKARTA (JP): Police told bank customers yesterday to ask for
police protection whenever taking cash to and from banks, saying
this service was simple and free of charge.
Chief of the City Police Detectives Col. Paimin Aboeamr said
bank customers only needed to ask their banks to call the police
to protect them.
"Don't hesitate to ask your bank to call the police. You don't
have to pay for the service, it's the bank's responsibility to
provide guards for its customers," said Lt. Col. Prasetyo, chief
of general affairs detectives, who was speaking for Paimin at a
seminar on banks and police protection of customers.
The seminar, held by the Mutiara weekly yesterday, was opened
by City Police Deputy Chief Brig. Gen. Gunawan and attended by
bankers, police officers, criminologists, and bank customers.
Gunawan said the police, banks and customers should work hand
in hand to eliminate crime.
"We have to work together to fight robberies on bank
customers. These crimes were on the rise last year, they were
also more violent last year," Gunawan said.
According to police data, the number of bank customer
robberies increased from 65 in 1995 to 87 in 1996. Only 77 cases
were solved and 45 suspects were arrested last year.
Criminologist Tb. Ronny Nitibaskara said strengthening
neighborhoods' collective security had turned criminals' eyes
toward bank customers.
Ronny suggested banks improve their protection of customers by
posting more security guards and police officers in their
buildings.
Guns
Some participants suggested security guards be given guns.
Gunawan said small caliber guns might be given to security
guards. "But, we don't have proper guns so far, so we have to
wait a couple more years until we can produce them," Gunawan
said.
Ex-convict Anton Medan, who attended the seminar, suggested
banks provide alternative exits for their customers to stop
criminals from following them.
"Criminals always study every detail of the room as well as
their prospective victims. While some of them enter the building,
others wait on motorbikes some 100 meters away. They are ready to
follow the customers who leave the bank from the front door,"
Anton said.
A Bank Indonesia official, K. Amir Sjarifuddin, said banks
should also pay attention to crimes committed by their own
employees.
"White collar crimes are perhaps small in number but they
cause greater losses than those caused by robberies," Amir said.
To anticipate such crimes, Amir said, the banks should improve
the discipline and integrity of their employees.
Amir supported police protection of bank customers, saying
that the police's presence could prevent crime.
"Unfortunately, only some, educated, bank customers are aware
of the importance of police protection," said Paimin. (04)