Karimnagar: Inter-State gang suspected in Rs 15 lakh ATM heist; culprits wore women’s attire

Police suspect an inter-State gang was behind the theft of Rs 15 lakh from two SBI ATMs in Karimnagar. Three to four suspects allegedly wore women’s attire, used gas cutters and sprayed paint on CCTV cameras before fleeing towards Maharashtra.

Karimnagar: Police suspected an inter-state gang was behind the sensational burglary of cash at two SBI ATMs at Durshed and Thimmapur early on Sunday morning.

Some unidentified culprits, believed to be 3-4 persons decamped with cash Rs 15 lakh by breaking open two ATMs using gas cutters at the two villages between 3 am and 4 am. They reportedly sported women’s attire to ‘hoodwink’ police. They sprayed color on CCTV cameras in the kiosks before committing the theft of the cash in a few minutes.

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Investigators suspected the culprits might have come from Hyderabad side and have moved towards Maharashtra. They confirmed that they had obtained the CCTV footage showing the suspects entering and exiting Karimnagar district. They believed that the gang might also be linked to a similar theft in Medak.

Commissioner of Police Gaush Alam, Karimnagar Additional DCP Venkatramana and ACP G Vijay Kumar inspected the spot of the offence and gathered details of the incident. Gaush stated that four special teams had been formed to trace the culprits. The teams scanned CCTV footage recorded at nearby places and toll plazas to detect the offenders.

“A professional interstate gang seems to have committed the theft. Previously, a gang from Haryana was involved in different crimes reported in Telangana. It has to be confirmed whether the same gang or another one indulged in this crime. The special teams have been working to trace the culprits, Depending on progress, more teams would be added,” Gaush Alam told ‘Telangana Today.’

Despite intensive efforts, the theft remains a tough nut to crack for the police. Locals claimed that they were panicked by major burglaries at regular intervals. They requested the police to take steps to prevent offences. They said that they were living in the grip of anxiety, following the theft.

Recent instances

Ten persons including three burglars from West Bengal and one from Bihar were arrested in connection with a theft at PMJ jewelry in Karimnagar in May. In February, 2024, interstate burglars cut open an ATM machine with a gas cutter and fled with Rs 27.75 lakh from near the NTPC in the Ramagundam Municipal Corporation limits.