Media Statement

Singapore, August 20, 2002 - DBS Bank reported today that its quick cheque deposit (QCD) box located at the Shenton Way Electronic Banking Centre was broken into on Sunday, August 18 at 5:30am. The Bank has filed a police report on Monday morning and has been assisting since then with the local authorities in an investigation that may involve other banks in Singapore.

Customers who deposited their cheques at the DBS Shenton Way QCD box from Saturday, August 17 after 11:30 am till early Sunday at 5:30 am, are requested to contact DBS as soon as possible so that we can make arrangements to stop the processing of these cheques. Affected customers are to contact DBS at its 24-hour call centre at 1800-111-1111 to provide us with their cheque information. The Bank estimated that there were no more than 100 cheques deposited in its Shenton Way branch QCD during this period.

DBS has alerted all its branch staff and will apply strict measures to help ensure that these stolen cheques are not honoured at its branches. DBS has also informed the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) to alert other banks to be on the look out for the stolen cheques which could be tampered with or deposited into other bank accounts.