Another bank machine looted in Hanover
HANOVER, Jamaica — There has been another attempt to steal the contents of an automated banking machine (ABM) in western Jamaica.
The most recent incident took place about 3:20am Thursday in Hopewell Square, Hanover.
The circumstances surrounding the incident, said to be the second such incident reported in the parish in little over a month, are unclear at the moment. The Sandy Bay police are investigating.
In January, criminals attempted to break into a machine located at a gas station in Green Island.
On February 16, the Jamaica Bankers’ Association (JBA) warned, in a press release, that “the recent escalation in ABM vandalism and theft could lead to customer inconvenience as member financial institutions prepare to take a number of steps to mitigate losses”.
These measures, it said, could include anything from making less cash available at the machines to removing them entirely.
Citing the significant investment banks have made in providing ABMs and the convenience they offer to clients, the JBA also called for stiffer fines when the machines are vandalised.
It also encouraged greater use of online banking.
