MANGALURU: The recent spike in house burglaries and thefts in Mangaluru and nearby areas has led to a significant increase in demand for bank lockers. Sources report that not only are more people inquiring about and opening new lockers, but existing locker usage has also surged. Some city bank branches have run out of available lockers, redirecting customers to neighboring branches.
Nationalized and cooperative banks, which offer lower rental rates compared to private banks, are experiencing the highest demand. An employee at a nationalized bank in Gandhi Nagar noted that most inquiries come from elderly individuals or working couples living in independent houses. “We now receive 2-3 locker inquiries daily, compared to 1 or 2 weekly before the recent burglaries,” said another bank staff member, referencing the notorious ‘chaddi’ gang’s recent assault and robbery of an elderly couple.
Medium and large lockers are particularly in demand, as people seek to store not only gold ornaments and cash but also silver articles used in religious rituals, important documents, and other valuables. Typically, locker usage peaks during festival and wedding seasons between August and March.
Gopalakrishna Bhat K, CEO of SCDCC Bank, confirmed the increased demand, noting that branches are sending customers to the Kodialbail branch due to full capacity. He added that about 99% of lockers in their 113 branches, especially in urban areas, are usually occupied due to lower rental rates.
Nationalized banks charge an annual locker rent between ₹1,500 to ₹7,500, with an initial refundable deposit ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹40,000.