How not to use your neighborhood ATM

A horse groomsman was arrested yesterday for the unconventional manner by which he withdrew cash from an automated teller machine (ATM) in Makati City.

Rogelio Jaime, 33, employed by one of the stables at the Philippine Racing Club (PRC) compound in Barangay Carmona, Makati City, was reeking of liquor when he was accosted by members of the barangay’s Bantay Bayan at around 3:10 a.m.

According to PO2 Raymund Bilguera of the General Assignments Section of the Makati police, the incident took place inside the Manila Bank ATM booth located in front of the PRC compound along A.P. Reyes street in Barangay Carmona.

Four members of Bantay Bayan, led by Edwin Acibara, saw the suspect struggling inside the booth. Upon investigation, the team saw that one of Jaime’s arms was inside a broken monitor of the ATM while his other hand was holding a piece of rock.

The law enforcers claimed that when the intoxicated Jaime took his arm out of the machine, he was holding onto an electronic device with wires still attached.

Jaime told the barangay watchmen that he wanted to withdraw P500 from the ATM to pay for food and drinks consumed by his group at the nearby Crown Royale Bar.

Their bill was P2,500 and his cash on hand was P500 short. He stepped out of the bar to withdraw cash from the ATM. However, Jaime failed to complete the transaction, which prompted him to withdraw cash "the hard way."

The apprehending team said that the suspect thought he could get cash from the machine by breaking its monitor.

Security personnel from Manila Bank said there was no way Jaime could have taken money from the ATM that way since all of the cash is kept inside a locked safe underneath the machine.

Jaime is currently detained at the Makati police detention cell awaiting the filing of malicious mischief charges.

In another incident also in Makati, an ATM machine was emptied by unidentified suspects in what investigators described as a possible "inside job."

PO2 Ricky Mel Corpuz said the actual amount taken could not yet be determined, but the cash that was loaded into the machine the previous night was estimated at around P750,000 to P1 million.

The theft took place at around 2 p.m. last Sunday at the ATM booth of the United Coconut Planters Bank located at the Landmark Department Store along Makati Avenue.

Initial investigation revealed that there was no indication of any forced entry as the locks of the safe and the door were all intact.

ATM specialists of the bank explained that the suspects who pulled off the heist were aware of the security system used and probably had direct knowledge of the lock’s combination.