By Juma Nsubuga

Government has asked bank customers using Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) to develop a culture of requesting for bank statements from their banks to save their money from being stolen by ATM thugs without notice.

The call has been made by the minister of state for industry ,James Mutende after Police  arrested seven people, including a Uganda Peoples Defence Force Corporal, on allegations of stealing money from bank clients in Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) on the pretense of helping them make transactions.

Minister Mutende told journalists at parliament that it’s very unfortunate for thugs to find their way into banking system when the culture of saving has just gone up.

He said that bank clients should have regular bank statements of their accounts so as they get quickly detect any Person trying to steal their money from bank account.

He also added that government is going to be tough on the people who want to steal people’s money in banks and harsh punishments extended to them to discourage the practice.

Minister Mutende however said that the thugs are taking the advantage of advanced technology which catching up the country in its effort to economic development.

In December last year Three Bulgarian nationals, Ivan Ganchey, Milen Katsarrski and Adrian Dimitrov, were convicted of ATM fraud and handed 20 year sentences.