Bank security firm defends guards' actions in Pando assault, calls for more investment

Prosegur, the security company whose guards were present during a recent bank robbery at the Banco República branch in Pando, Uruguay, has defended the actions of its employees. The firm maintains that its security personnel acted according to established protocols during the incident, emphasizing that their primary role is not to engage in confrontations or recover stolen funds at the risk of human life.

“

the accionar and the device of security for cases of this type were executed as planned.

Enzo Sandri, Prosegur Security's general director, explained that the security plan for such events is designed for deterrence through presence. If deterrence fails, the guards' immediate responsibility is to notify the police as quickly as possible. The use of a firearm is a last resort, reserved only for situations where the lives of individuals within the bank are in immediate peril. Sandri stressed that the objective is never to retrieve money if it endangers those present.

In the Pando case, Sandri noted that the assailants, though armed, did not pose a direct threat to anyone's life, thus not triggering the protocol for the guards to use their weapons. He further elaborated that the security guards are trained to de-escalate situations and avoid escalating violence. At the Pando branch, one guard was stationed at the door and another inside a booth with a panic button. The guard inside activated the panic button when the other was injured, and the bank manager also triggered her panic button.

“

the objective of the guards is never to recover the money that has been stolen if it puts the people who were there at risk.

Sandri suggested that the robbers may have had inside information, as they struck shortly before closing, anticipating fewer people and less resistance. Prosegur is cooperating with authorities to investigate this possibility. While asserting that protocols were meticulously followed, Sandri conceded that security improvements are possible, such as restricting vehicle access near the bank's entrance. He also stated that "without a doubt" more investment in bank security is needed across Uruguay, but cautioned that enhancements must not compromise the profitability of businesses.

“

without a doubt there is a lack of investment in banking security.