Banks to up security in wake of robberies
THE NATION September 27, 2013 1:00 am
The Royal Thai Police has held a meeting with 16 banks and six security-truck firms to discuss the recent spate of bank, gold-shop and convenience-store robberies, deputy police spokesman Thana Chuwong said yesterday.
Bank executives at the meeting agreed to implement a number of the security measures put forward, including higher counters - making it more difficult for criminals to reach bank employees.
They also agreed to increase the number of security cameras overlooking parking lots and angled to capture the faces of customers.
Bank entrances will also have two doors in order to slow down escaping robbers, Thana said.
Another deputy spokesman, Anucha Romyanant, reported that 30 bank and 156 convenience-store robberies had occurred this year. Arrests and arrest warrants had also risen by 70 per cent, he added.
In addition, 20 gold-shop robberies had been carried out this year compared with 49 cases last year. Police had so far made arrests in 16 cases connected with the robberies, he said.
Anucha praised gold-shop owners for their cooperation in increasing the number of grille and alarm installations.
He urged people to report suspicious behaviour to the 191 or 1599 police 24-hour hotlines.
