Cuttack, Nov. 2: Unidentified goons apparently tried to loot a State Bank of India (SBI) branch at Jhanjirmangala in Badambadi police limits in the early hours of today. Though the thieves failed to loot cash and other valuables from the strongroom, the incident brought to the fore lax security measures at the bank.

The goons entered the bank, which functions from a residential three-storey building, by breaking at least five locks. Police are yet to find out why the goons failed to loot any of the valuables.

The bank has advanced security systems including a burglar alarm. But they failed to function as they had been turned off for the last four days, a police source said. Even the CCTVs installed in the bank are of inferior quality and the visuals captured were hazy, the source added.

"The goons had entered the bank by breaking three locks on the main gate and two locks of another room. But, the cash and other valuables are intact," said branch manager Ashok Patnaik.

Patnaik said: "Six CCTV cameras at the bank are functioning, while the hard disk will be given to the cops for further investigation into the incident. The alarm did not work as we suspect the thieves may have tampered with the device."

Despite the bank functioning from a residential building, not a single watchman or security guard has been deployed by the authorities concerned, a local resident alleged.

Four to five families stay on the second floor of the building, while the bank is located on the first floor. The residents have also raised questions on the security measures taken by the bank to prevent such incidents.

"The thieves had locked the doors of all the flats inside the building complex from outside. We did not hear any noise or see any unidentified persons entering the building till late night," said Prashant Lenka, a resident of the complex.

Assistant commissioner of police Anil Mishra said: "We have retrieved the CCTV hard disk. We will scrutinise the footage to ascertain the number of people involved."

Mishra said the visual of one of the goons has been captured by one of the CCTV cameras and efforts were on to scan the footage of other cameras as it is suspected that two more persons could be involved.