Anantapur Police Bust Haryana Gang Looting ATMs

Anantapur: Anantapur police have arrested a gang from Haryana after a series of break-ins at ATM centres and looting of cash therein. The 12-member gang targeted ATM centres that had no security personnel.

Initially, police faced difficulty in tracing culprits who had broken into ATM machines and taken away cash. Subsequently, they realised that the gang hired container trucks from Bangalore or other cities. The gang members used their own car that they put inside the container.

The Haryana gang would park the container at a dhaba nearest to the targeted ATM. They would take out the car, reach the ATM, spray paint on the CC cameras, break the machine using gas cutters, and take away the cash. The gang normally looted the ATMs during wee hours, put the cash in the car and loaded the car into the container before driving away.

Police teams of Anantapur found the car used in the robbery after verifying CCTV camera footage in the surrounding areas of the ATM.

Anantapur SP P. Jagadish said they have arrested five persons of the 12-member gang. They have seized the container truck, car and equipment used in looting the ATMs.

Police pointed out in the latest case, an SBI ATM had been emptied soon after the private agency contracted by the SBI deposited Rs.30 lakh in the machine on August 4 night. The money got emptied within a few hours.

A police official disclosed that private agencies depend on claiming insurance whenever money is looted from ATM centres. They claim it is a huge burden for them to appoint security guards at every ATM centre.

Anantapur district police are planning to organise a meeting with all bankers in this regard.