KARACHI: Armed robbers stormed into a private bank branch in Korangi on Tuesday and walked off with more than Rs8 million in the fifth bank heist this year, officials said.

They said that five armed men pulled up outside a Meezan Bank branch in Korangi No. 2 and disarmed a security guard deputed outside the entrance before three of them made their way into the bank.

“As two of them stayed outside, the three robbers held the staff and a few customers at gunpoint,” said area DSP Ghulam Nabi Wahgo. “They collected cash from counters but strangely enough they did not take away the DVR [digital video recorder] with them.”

The bandits rode away along with Rs8.2m and the shotguns of two security guards. However, they threw the weapons at some distance.

“The bandits hardly took seven to eight minutes to complete the job,” said the DSP. “They only used motorbikes.”

He said that the two security guards were being questioned while the statements of bank staff were also being recorded. “We have seized the CCTV footage and it would be very helpful in recognising the faces of the bandits.”

Police authorities have blamed managements of private banks for not investing enough in making their branches secure and also questioned the utility of private security guards who hardly put up resistance to robbers and in some cases even help bandits in executing their jobs.

“In this robbery no SOP [standard operating procedure] for security was followed,” said SSP Farooq Awan of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). “There was no bunker inside the branch for bank guards. Such bunkers are meant to provide a secure place for the guards so that in case of such threats they could resist or challenge the robbers from a better position.”

In 2015, 15 bank heists took place in the metropolis. Compared to previous years, the less number of such incidents last year is said to be a result of proactive policing and ongoing Rangers-led operations in the city. However, on-and-off strike by the bandits remains a challenge for investigators.

In 2014, some 24 banks were robbed by armed bandits; 28 banks met the same fate in 2013; 23 in 2012; 19 in 2011; 20 in 2010 and less than 20 in 2009.

“We solved all the 15 cases last year,” said SSP Awan of the SIU. “Same is the trend this year as we have solved all the previous four cases. However, we need to understand that we can only prevent such incidents through joint efforts but unfortunately banks and financial institutions are least bothered about the security of their own establishments, which encourages robbers to make attempts after every few months.”

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2016