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)