Robbers dig 25-feet long tunnel into a bank to steal valuables from 27 lockers

In an incident that could ring alarm bells for customers who think their jewellery and valuables are safe inside bank lockers, robbers in Navi Mumbai dug a 25-feet tunnel to enter a Bank of Baroda Juinagar branch. Robbers escaped after stealing gold and cash from nearly 27 lockers. They apparently entered the bank by tunneling a hole through the shop next door. The bank officials and customers at the Navi Mumbai branch were in for a shock when they discovered their empty lockers on Monday morning.

While it is not clear when the incident took place as the bank was closed on Saturday and Sunday, the matter came to light only when a customer of Bank of Baroda had to go to his locker to deposit some valuables. When the customer and a bank officer entered the locker room, they found that 27 lockers had been looted. They also spotted a tunnel in the room, which led to the adjacent shop.

"The culprits made a tunnel from the adjacent gaala [shop] and entered the locker room. They stole cash and jewellery, and made their escape through the tunnel," said a police officer from Sanpada police station, on condition of anonymity to the Hindustan Times.

The robbers ran away with Rs 40 lakh worth of valuables, reports mention. The police is conducting the investigation.

In June this year, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other public sector banks, in a reply to a RTI said that banks have no liability for loss of valuables in locker, the reason being  "the relationship they have with customers with regard to lockers is that of lessee (landlord) and lessor (tenant)".

Do not expect any compensation for theft or burglary of valuables in safe deposit boxes of public sector banks as the locker hiring agreement absolves them of all liability. This bitter truth was disclosed in an RTI response by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and 19 PSU banks.

The banks have contended that in such a relationship, the lessor is responsible for his or her valuables kept in the locker which is owned by the bank.

Some banks, in their locker hiring agreements, have made it clear that any item stored in the locker is at the customer's own risk and he or she may, in their own interest, insure the valuables.

The common feature of all locker hiring agreements states, "As per safe deposit memorandum of hiring locker, the bank will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the contents kept in the safe deposit vault as a result of any act of war or civil disorder or theft or burglary and the contents will be kept by the hirer at his or her sole risk and responsibility. 

With PTI inputs