CHENNAI: A group of unidentified burglars broke into four ATMs (automated teller machines) in Tiruvannamalai district in a single night and escaped with more than Rs 72.4 lakh cash.
The incident happened at midnight intervening Saturday and Sunday when the burglars looted three SBI ATMs and a private ATM, all located within a 30km radius, in Tiruvannamalai district. The burglars had started from the SBI ATM located in Mariamman Temple 10th street in Tiruvannamalai town and with the help of a gas welder opened the ATM machine and stole Rs 20 lakh cash.
Then the burglars proceeded to the SBI ATM in Thenimalai, also in Tiruvannamalai, and stole Rs 31 lakh using the same gas welding machine. The burglars had then proceeded towards Vellore and stole Rs 2.4 lakh from a private ATM in Kalasapakkam. The burglars then went to Polur in Tiruvallur district and stole Rs 19 lakh from an SBI ATM.
IG (north zone) N Kannan along with Tiruvannamalai SP K Karthikeyan inspected the four ATM kiosks where the burglaries happened. Following the inspection, Kannan told reporters that the burglars had a thorough knowledge about the mechanisms of ATM machines. Asked about the burglars, Kannan replied that they were not from Tamil Nadu.
“Similar incidents of ATM robbery have been reported in Maharashtra, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and police suspect that the burglars from other states were involved in the incident,” said Kannan.
Police have intensified their search in areas in the state bordering states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Six police teams were formed to search for the burglars.
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