MPD bares 5 ATM theft cases  daily

At least five persons are victimized daily by robbers preying on bank clients withdrawing cash from automated teller machines in Manila, a Manila Police District official disclosed yesterday, bolstering claims that members of an organized syndicate are involved.

“The figure represents only those reported to us, but we learned that other victims chose not to report the theft cases to the police and blamed only the banks,” said Superintendent Nelson Yabut, chief of the Meisic police station.

Yabut had directed his men to intensify their patrol on banks with ATM machines that led to the arrest of two members of a syndicate responsible for stealing cash withdrawals from ATMs through the use of adhesives.

The police seized tools and gadgets to trap cash on ATMs from arrested suspects Bobby Tibo, 28, and Edwin Derla, 38, both of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

An ATM from the Bank of Philippine Islands on Lavezares St. in Binondo was tampered by the two suspects who got five pieces of P500 bills and two pieces of P200 bills that got stuck on the cash-trapping device.

The two suspects admitted installing the device inside the ATM by pretending as bank clients. Then they will wait near the ATM booth for their victim. After the victim leaves the ATM booth without getting the cash that was withdrawn, the suspects will get the money trapped by their device.

Yabut said the suspects used a brand of glue without a hardener but maintains its adhesive capability.

He said the suspects admitted learning the tricks from their gang leader who is based in Pasay City but had recently died.

“The syndicate had already tampered several ATMs in Binondo, Malabon, Quezon City and eastern Metro Manila,” Yabut told The STAR.

The thefts have compelled Siemens Corp., the distributor of ATMs in most banks, to upgrade their machines to make them tamper-proof, said Yabut.

Most banks do not refund stolen withdrawals covered by transaction receipts.

BPI officials said the suspects had damaged the cash presenter shutter module and dispenser mechanism of their ATM worth P651,713.

Some 12 ATM machines located at the BPI branches in Lavezares, Tayuman, Gen. Luna in Malabon, Monumento Circle, Panghulo in Malabon, A. Bonifacio in Caloocan City, Malinta in Valenzuela, Quiapo, Marulas and Binondo were damaged by the gang and the bank had spent more than P7 million to fix the units since January.