Madam, - Your edition of September 17th carries a report on some bank customers in Arklow who took advantage of an ATM fault to steal money from an AIB branch in the town. This, moreover, was not a casual, opportunistic event - as, apparently, once the machine fault had been identified, rather than report the matter to the bank, the people involved phoned friends and acquaintances to tell them to hurry down.
Your report states that a queue formed of those anxious to avail themselves of money which they knew was not rightfully theirs. This looting did not cease because there were no more people willing to continue it; no, it stopped only when the machine ran out of money.
As a commentary on current morality in this country, the picture painted could hardly be more depressing. Stealing is, apparently, perfectly acceptable as long as the victim is regarded as being well able to withstand the loss. What would the German ambassador make of this, I wonder? - Yours, etc,
BRIAN STEWART,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.