BANK customers across the island who are withdrawing large sums of cash in the wake of the shaky financial climate in Cyprus are being warned by police to be extra vigilant.

Police said security and safety concerns have been raised by all the extra cash carried around by people or stashed in their homes.

Long queues were seen at ATM’s across the island with depositors withdrawing as much cash as possible – amid leaders scrambling to come up with a bailout deal with the European Union to stave off the financial system’s collapse.

A Paphos police spokesman said: “We are aware that many people are withdrawing sums of money from cash machines and are carrying a lot more money than they would usually. We have put measures in place which include more police patrols in all areas, especially outside bank ATM’s. We haven’t had any reported instances of robberies or bag snatching as yet and we hope this will remain the case.”

“People need to be more careful and more aware and not give opportunities to would-be criminals.” Police have given the same advice in all cities.

Police advise people not to be obvious if withdrawing or carrying large sums, not to spend long on foot after withdrawing cash and preferably not to go alone.

Police say that the same applied if money was being kept at home. “Don’t be obvious about where you keep it, and secure your home as best you can,” they advise.

In Nicosia, a 20-year-old student, Constantinos Hadjimanolis said, “I do not feel safe at all because there are many people around the ATM machines lately. The only thing I can do is hide my pin number and put my money in my wallet straight away.”

“No one feels safe now about anything. I am worried about my cash, the future of my children, and my elderly parents who might not have a pension to support them,” another man said by an ATM machine.

“The really rich people took their money out of the banks before things got serious and now we have to pay, just like we had to do when the stock exchange collapsed,” he said. “The only way we can keep ourselves safe now is by not listening to what the politicians are saying because they only lie. Just like Odysseus saved his men from the sirens by putting wax in their ears, we should save ourselves by not listening to words that will destroy us,” he added.

“I am very worried about the whole situation, not only my cash but I cannot do anything about it really,” 61-year-old accountant Shavies Bozouio told the Cyprus Mail.

Famagusta police spokesman George Economou said. “Taking out money during the day is also advised as the light of day makes it harder for a robber to go unnoticed,” he said.

Shop owners are also worried. One owner said he didn’t want to leave the cash in the shop, but was also worried about taking it home. “I don’t know what to do. I have to choose from two bad options,” he said.

In Peyia, which used to be a hot spot for burglaries, a neighbourhood watch scheme was formally launched in September 2010.

More than 650 households. now participate, from an initial 300. Peyia has a large number of British expat residents and second-home owners, which means numerous properties are often left empty.

Keith Allen, chairman of Peyia’s neighbourhood watch management (NHW) team said: “When this situation first occurred, I thought people would take as much cash out of the banks as they could, and they are…and people are keeping  the money at home rather than in the bank .The burglars must be rubbing their hands together.”

Allen offered some general advice.

“If you have cash at home, make sure you hide it well and not in obvious places. A lot of homes have safes inside wardrobes in the master bedroom – don’t put it in here. This is the first place thieves will look and they are easy to prise off the wall and take away.”

Allen noted that if thieves have time, they will ransack houses turning drawers upside down searching for cash and jewellery.

He said: “It’s common sense. Carry cash with you if you can but be careful not to leave handbags and so on unattended. It’s better not to keep cash all in one place, but to split it.”

John and Pam, Paphos residents who don’t wish to be identified for obvious reasons, told the Cyprus Mail: “We have a large sum of money kept at home due to the uncertain financial situation in Cyprus. It’s not ideal, but we were concerned about our bank going down and taking our funds with it. This is money which we have worked and saved for all of our lives and we need it for our future and our children and their family’s future.”

Pam said: “The money is not hidden in just one place but many”

John added: “When things stabilize, we will re-deposit the money into a bank in Cyprus, but we don’t know which one yet. These are very worrying times.”

Meanwhile, the British foreign office warned travellers to Cyprus to take appropriate security measures in light of the current economic situation on the island. British nationals receiving pensions payments in Cyprus can contact the international pension centre by phone, text or email with any questions: Telephone: +44 191 21 87777, Textphone: +44 191 21 87280, email: [email protected]

Cyprus Mail