Bevco to install deposit lockers

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Beverages Corporation has decided to install deposit lockers in all its 23 warehouses, apart from deploying security personnel at retail outlets in remote areas in view of the outlets becoming the soft targets of robbery gangs.

Seven instances of robbery at the Bevco liquor outlets were reported last year and the total loss was over Rs. 50 lakh. The major robbery was at Vadakkencherry in Palakkad from where cash and liquor worth nearly Rs. 50 lakh were stolen.

KSBC director H. Venkatesh said that some robbery gangs specifically target Bevco outlets during festival seasons as there would be more cash at the outlets.

“We have now decided to install  strong cash safes in all the 23 warehouses and directed the outlets to shift daily collections exceeding Rs. 10 lakh to the safes on the same day itself,” said Mr. Venkatesh.

The KSBC has also decided to employ night security personnel at the outlets that are located in remote areas. “Around 100 shops are located in remote areas and are vulnerable to thefts. Hence, security personnel will be deployed there,” he  said.

All the 270 Bevco  retail outlets are insured. However, it often takes a long time to get the insurance compensation in the event of robbery, said the managing director.

Most of the shops are located in rented buildings which lacked safety features. However, small lockers to keep cash are provided in all shops.