This following an alleged case of ATM theft at the centre. Monica Schmidt, the mother of the victim of theft said she wanted to warn shoppers to be extra vigilant when using the ATMs at the centre, especially on weekends and after banking hours.
“My daughter and her friend were using the ATM when a decently dressed young man approached them and forced his way in between them,” explained Schmidt.
“He cancelled the transaction and had unfortunately already seen the pin number. While the card came out he was distracting them and quickly took the card without them noticing and briskly disappeared.”
She said when her daughter and her daughter’s friend tried to retrieve the card from the ATM they realised it had been stolen. “The criminal had left and there was no sign of him anymore,” added Schmidt.
The card was then immediately reported as stolen with the bank and a case was opened with the police. She even tried to get a hold of management at the centre, however, no significant action had taken place following the report.
“A similar thing happened to a friend in August at the same ATM in Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre and in both cases security was not present in the vicinity of the ATM,” said Schmidt.
Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre management released a statement saying that they had proactively initiated a review of their security management and had introduced new measures after being made aware of three incidents of ATM theft at the centre.
However, while the role was to generally safeguard the property, the release stated that the centre was not responsible for crime prevention, nor could they fulfil the role of the police.
Also, management encouraged shoppers to not only report incidents of crime to the police but also the store where the incident took place because individual tenants were responsible for the security of their own premises.
“Public spaces attract a criminal element, so we encourage customers to remain vigilant at all times when using ATM machines, to make certain that their cars are properly locked and their personal belongings are secure and within their sight at all times,” said Lauren Cohen, public relations officer on behalf of Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre management. “Any suspicious behaviour should be reported immediately to the security on duty.”
Details: www.benmoregardens.co.za
Have you been a victim of ATM theft? Share your story with us on the Sandton Chronicle Facebook page
