Bank locker theft news: 40 cases reported in PSBs in 5 years – check state-wise, bank-wise data

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2 min readApr 2, 2026 07:17 PM IST

Bank locker theft cases in public sector banks have totalled 40 over the past five years, with the government sharing state-wise and bank-wise data on reported incidents. (Image generated using AI)

Bank locker theft news: The Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have reported 40 bank locker theft cases over the past five years. However, as of March 31, 2025, a total of 1,09,98,050 bank lockers were operational across these banks. The banks offer safe deposit locker facilities to customers on rent, allowing them to keep their valuables, documents and other important items.

In a written statement in Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 40 cases of locker theft have been established in PSBs during FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25. She further added that a total of 11,22,982 locker facilities are currently operated by Rural Cooperative Banks.

“As per information from received from NABARD, a total of 11,22,982 locker facilities are currently operated by Rural Cooperative Banks. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that it does not maintain details of locker facilities operated in banks and nor the cases of locker theft,” Sitharaman said.

Bank locker theft who is liable

The finance minister further said that as per the extant guidelines, banks are liable for loss of locker contents arising from incidents such as fire, theft, burglary, dacoity, robbery, building collapse or employee fraud, where such loss is attributable to the bank’s negligence or deficiency.

“In such cases, the liability of banks is capped at an amount equivalent to one hundred times the prevailing annual locker rent,” she said.

Bank locker theft insurance

Sitharaman added that banks have been advised to put in place Board-approved insurance policies to mitigate losses arising from contingencies affecting locker contents. “Banks are required to ensure that locker premises are adequately secured against criminal break-ins as well as natural and man-made hazards, in accordance with prescribed standards.

As informed by PSBs, locker units are housed in strong rooms or safes conforming to Bureau of Indian Standards specifications. Branches are equipped with CCTV surveillance, burglar alarm systems, fire alarm systems and appropriate physical security arrangements, which are subject to periodic audit,” the Union Minister said.

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Public Sector Bank locker theft cases in India: Check bank-wise data

PSB-wise Locker Theft Cases – FY 2020–21 to FY 2024–25Established cases reported by Public Sector Banks · Source: Public Sector Banks

Sl. Public Sector Bank FY2020–21 FY2021–22 FY2022–23 FY2023–24 FY2024–25

i	Bank of Baroda	0	0	0	0
ii	Bank of India	1	10	3	0
iii	Bank of Maharashtra	0	0	0	0
iv	Canara Bank	0	0	0	0
v	Central Bank of India	13	1	0	0
vi	Indian Bank	1	0	0	0
vii	Indian Overseas Bank	1	0	0	0
viii	Punjab & Sind Bank	0	0	0	0
ix	Punjab National Bank	0	0	0	0
x	State Bank of India	0	6	0	4
xi	UCO Bank	0	0	0	0
xii	Union Bank of India	0	0	0	0
	Total	16	17	3	4

* Source: Public Sector Banks · Non-zero values highlighted in red · Zero entries in grey

Public Sector Bank locker theft cases in India: Check year-wise data

State-wise Established Cases of Locker TheftFY 2020–21 to FY 2024–25 · Source: Public Sector Banks

#State / UTEstablished Cases

1	Andhra Pradesh	1
2	Arunachal Pradesh	0
3	Assam	0
4	Bihar	1
5	Chhattisgarh	1
6	Goa	0
7	Gujarat	1
8	Haryana	1
9	Himachal Pradesh	0
10	Jharkhand	12
11	Karnataka	0
12	Kerala	0
13	Madhya Pradesh	0
14	Maharashtra	5
15	Manipur	0
16	Meghalaya	0
17	Mizoram	0
18	Nagaland	0
19	Odisha	0
20	Punjab	0
21	Rajasthan	0
22	Sikkim	0
23	Tamil Nadu	0
24	Telangana	0
25	Tripura	0
26	Uttar Pradesh	18
27	Uttarakhand	0
28	West Bengal	0
29	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0
30	Chandigarh	0
31	D&N Haveli and Daman and Diu	0
32	Delhi	0
33	Jammu & Kashmir	0
34	Ladakh	0
35	Lakshadweep	0
36	Puducherry	0
	Total	40

* Source: Public Sector Banks · Annexure II · Non-zero values shown with proportional bars

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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