The gang was committing thefts at ATMs only after scouting the premises thoroughly: Police
Hyderabad: Spate of thefts at unmanned ATM kiosks in erstwhile Nalgonda district is giving sleepless nights to the police in tracing thieves involved in these offences.
What is bluffing the police is the way the thieves were striving at the kiosks and cutting open the ATM using gas cutters before fleeing in cars with cash. They were meticulously committing theft at ATMs in 15 minutes and disappearing with cash stored in it.
The gang was committing thefts only after scouting the premises thoroughly. The ATMs at Vaddepally, Ankireddygudem and Huzurnagar were burgled in the last few days.
The way the gang members comprising three to four members escape after the offence is keeping the police on the edge. For instance, the police managed to find that the gang was fleeing in a white SUV after striking at the ATM in Huzurnagar with the help of footage collected from t CCTVs installed near the premises of the kiosk.
However, they could not find the image of intruders. Believing that some clues would emerge from the CCTVs at Korlapahad and Chillakallu toll plazas, the police checked the footage but failed to get any clue to identify thieves and the vehicle number.
The police said the thieves appeared to be taking all precautionary measures from identifying them at the ATM kiosk as well as at the toll plazas. Before entering the kiosks, the intruders were blurring the CCTVs with black spray and then carrying out their task with gas cutters.
After striking successfully, they were avoiding Suryapet highway with toll plazas and rather hiding at some other place for a few days before reaching their hideout. Huzurnagar Station House Officer G Muthaiah said thefts were happening because of the negligence of the bank officials.
He said a notice was issued to Huzurnagar branch SBI bank manager informing that no security guard was deployed at ATM kiosks at the new bus stand, Kodad Road, Gandhi Park, and Lingagiri Road in Huzurnagar Town.
“We urged the manager to appoint a security guard at the kiosks and provide proper working condition surveillance cameras with backup up to 30 days to avoid thefts. If it is unable to appoint a security guard, the bank may close the ATM at night, otherwise you are the responsible, because nowadays more ATM thefts are happening,” the police said.
The police are suspecting the role of a gang from Haryana, which is famous for committing ATM thefts.
