Sharjah: Sharjah Police have launched an awareness campaign for the safety of bank customers to educate them on security measures to adopt when they withdraw cash from ATM machines or from banks.
Colonel Ebrahim Al Ajel, director of the Criminal and Investigation Department of Sharjah Police, said the campaign has been launched as a preventive measure to prevent incidents of bank customers being robbed outside banks.
Such crimes became easier due to the victims’ negligence and failure to ensure that necessary security measures were in place.
Bank customers do not adopt safety measures and gangs are using the same methods and tricks to rob customers despite the fact that the police have highlighted them many times.
Revealing the fraudulent methods adopted by criminals to steal money from bank customers, the police said the suspects’ modus operandi depends on their nationality. For example, Asian suspects distract their targets by telling them that there is an oil leak from their car. African suspects tell victims there is a nail in the tyre while Arab criminals break the windows of cars.
In some cases, gang members stand outside banks in Sharjah and, when they identify a bank customer, they knock on the window of the car to distract the driver. When the victim step out to look, another member of the gang steals the money and runs away.
Col Al Ajel said the police have deployed police patrols near banks and installed surveillance cameras.
The situation is now under control, to a certain extent, after several such cases were solved successfully and the culprits were arrested, he said
During the campaign, brochures in Arabic and English are being distributed to bank customers.
People are urged to ignore anyone who approaches them after withdrawing money and to inform the police of any suspicious activity while they are in banks or near an ATM.
“Be extremely cautious after you withdraw money from banks and ATM, especially if you are withdrawing a huge sum of money,” Col Al Ajel said.
“The low crime rate in the UAE should not be taken for granted by residents. They must be vigilant and mindful about protecting their belongings,” he added. People can call the police on 999, toll-free 800151, or 065 632 222 or via SMS 7999 or via email www.shjpolice.gov.ae/najeed
