Public security officials sought to reassure the public Wednesday
that the use of advanced technology will help prevent further
violent bank robberies.
Police unveiled a scheme to tighten security both in bank branches
and during delivery of banknotes.
The nation has been shocked by a number of bloody bank robberies
over the past few weeks, which have resulted in the loss of several
innocent lives and millions of dollars.
In
Beijing, a three-day operation aimed at preventing delivery truck
robberies ended yesterday.
High-tech equipment used in the operation made use of the global
positioning system (GPS), which enables local police to pinpoint
the precise location of the delivery vans on the road.
Under GPS surveillance, a robbed van can easily be intercepted by
police patrol cars.
Police authorities said their exercises had accurately replicated
robbers' behaviour and had enhanced co-ordination between different
government agencies.
In
Shanghai, the nation's largest commercial city, local public
security agencies have assigned well-trained armed and plainclothed
police to escort delivery vans.
Security staff employed by commercial banks to guard the delivery
vans are highly armed to help them cope with potential robbers,
according to the Shanghai Morning Post.
The city also set up emergency checkpoints at the exits of the
inner ring roads and other expressways, as well as at airports,
docks and bus stations used for long journeys, the newspaper said
yesterday.
Public concern over financial security has increased over the past
few weeks, following a number of bank robberies in Northeast
China's Liaoning Province, Central China's Hunan Province and
Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
One of the most notorious incidents took place on Saturday in
Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, leaving three people
dead and five badly injured. The robbers made off with 1.97 million
yuan (US$237,000).
Among the three dead, one was a passer-by and the other two were
bank security staff, according to local police.
The local police bureau is continuing its investigation, but
initial inquiries have failed to yield any information on the
robbers' identities or whereabouts.
The Spring Festival period usually sees a marked increase in the
number of bank robberies in the country.
Chinese residents are currently flooding commercial banks to
withdraw or transfer money to get ready for the upcoming shopping
and leisure spree.
(China Daily January 23, 2003)