Delhi cops in lungi convince ATM thief to disclose his plan on ‘April Fool’s day’

New Delhi: A proclaimed offender ran out of luck on April Fool's Day when he unknowingly disclosed his identity to police in plain clothes when on a recce to loot an ATM in Uttam Nagar in West Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

Aslam, who is from Karanda in Mewat and was staying in Loni in Ghaziabad, was arrested, police said.

He was charged with dismounting ATMs and stealing money from them using gas cutters along with other associates, they added.

"Aslam was arrested on April 1 from Uttam Nagar area where he had gone at about 9.00 pm to recce an ATM. He mistook police officials, dressed in lungi-kurta (Mewati attire), as members of a new gang and spoke to them, disclosing his name and address," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse.

After cross-checking Aslam's identity, the policemen handcuffed him, saying "April Fool Banaya" (made you an April Fool), he said.

In 2012, Aslam along with associates tried to loot an ATM in Mourya Enclave in Delhi, but the guard fired at them, killing one of his associates. Aslam was later arrested, the DCP said.

Aslam stopped attending court in 2017, following which he was declared a proclaimed offender.

Aslam used to make a list of ATMs after conducting a recce and then prepared plans with his associates to loot them, he said.

Several cases had been registered against Aslam, under different names.

He used to give different names whenever he was caught to escape with a light punishment, claiming it was his first offence, officials said.