Re: Are Bank Lockers in Pakistan safe?
stuff in lockers is pretty safe. the area where the lockers are kept, in any branch is protected by a metal door i don't know how many inches thick. then the actual door to the locker is atleast 1 inch thick. so unless you're planning a heist with proper equipment you are not that likely to lose stuff during a riot. as for employees stealing things i can't see how that could happen because you need 2 keys, one key that is with the branch manager (and if he isn't available then the first officer or whatever they call them now) and the other key is with you, and you need both keys to open the locker. so all in all stuff is safe.
Khumar has compelled me to speak out unofficially here...as a Banker without any obligation on the part of my Bank and its affiliates.
PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING LOCKER ROOM AT BRANCH:
Whenever a new branch is decided to be opened after express approval of the State Bank of Pakistan, there are at least 50 conditionalities which are to be meticulously followed.
The locker area or room or hall, is surrounded by a C-2 wall which is essentially of concerete with solid steel iron mesh in between the bricks of concerete making the wall. The LOCKER safe is essentially of STEEL and has different sizes from small to medium to large which has two keys. One key belongs to the locker account holder and one to the custodian at the Bank. The locker cannot be opened with a single key.
SECURITY OR PROTECTEDNESS OF LOCKERS:
The surrounding walls of locker room alongside the VERY heavy and at least ONE foot measuring huge IRON door is merged with the concerete wall which completely protects the strong room or locker room from any kind of human infiltration even if fire occurs or firearms like klashinakov or burst of pump action gun are infested upon it.
During the 27th Dec-07 SAGA in Pakistan when loot & arson took place--majorly of Bank's my Karachi Region's FIVE branches including Boating Basin at Clifton next to Bar-B-Q Tonite, were completely gutted...BUT not an iota of scratch or infiltration or wreckage of LOCKER room was reported or seen and customers were absolutely calm and fair-square when they rushed to their lockers on aftermath of the incidence.
There have been some reports in the past of locker room breakages by the Bank's own guards or the outsourced guards from various agencies--which led to strict and extra security measures and (touchwood) no incidence of locker breakage or theft have been reported for as good as a decade now..at any Bank of Pakistan.
There have been umpteenth cases where the lockers were seen left unlocked and open by the customers--when the custodian immediately adopted high security and personally called the customers to remind them of their mistake on which the customers did offer heavy cash awards which were turned down as it was the duty of the concerned custodian--while as Regional Chief...I took care in awarding the custodian a promotion or some certificate for going an extra mile or even cash award from the Bank.
All in all...........there is a very strict rulling on maintenance of security at LOCKERS by adopting all the laid down procedures...at the Bank.
Khush Rahein.....
-Raju