A daring burglary occurred at a Bank of Maharashtra ATM in Pandharkawda village, under Ghughus police limits, late on Sunday night. Unidentified thieves made off with over Rs 10 lakh in cash after breaking into the ATM. The burglars arrived at the scene in a white Bolero vehicle, taking precautions to avoid detection by spraying paint on the CCTV camera and cutting the power supply cables.
Using a gas cutter, the thieves sliced open the ATM machine and extracted the cash before fleeing the scene. The police noted that the gang appeared to be well-prepared, carrying all the necessary equipment in their vehicle. The ATM, located on the busy Chandrapur-Ghughus road, has been targeted before, but despite these incidents, no security guard had been deployed at the kiosk.
Upon receiving information about the burglary, the Ghughus police, along with a dog squad, fingerprint experts, and a forensic team from Chandrapur, rushed to the scene to initiate an investigation. A video of the burgled ATM has since gone viral, potentially aiding in the identification of the perpetrators.
The police are currently reviewing the evidence and investigating the incident. The fact that the ATM had been targeted previously and lacked a security guard raises concerns about the bank’s security measures. The perpetrators’ ability to carry out the burglary with ease, using specialized equipment, suggests that they may have had prior experience with such crimes.
The incident highlights the need for banks to revamp their security protocols, particularly at isolated or frequently targeted locations. The use of gas cutters and other specialized equipment by the thieves also raises questions about the availability and regulation of such tools. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether the police will be able to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen cash.