KPHB police arrest duo for cheating ATM users with plastic sheet trick

Hyderabad police arrested two men in KPHB for duping ATM users by blocking cash dispensers with plastic sheets and later stealing trapped currency.

Hyderabad: The KPHB police on Wednesday arrested two persons allegedly involved in cheating ATM users by preventing cash from being dispensed from ATM machines and later stealing the money.

The arrested persons are Vadde Katamayya (25), a resident of a hostel in KPHB and a native of Anantapur district, and Pallapu Srinivas (48), a resident of KPHB Colony and a native of Kakinada.

---

According to the police, Katamayya allegedly entered ATM centres and placed a transparent plastic sheet over the cash dispenser slot. When customers attempted to withdraw money, the machine recorded the transaction and debited the amount from their accounts, but the cash remained trapped inside the dispenser due to the obstruction.

“Believing the machine had malfunctioned, customers would leave the ATM centre without receiving the cash. Katamayya would then remove the plastic sheet, collect the trapped currency and flee with Srinivas, who allegedly stood outside the ATM to keep watch,” said ACP Kukatpally Ravi Kiran Reddy.

The fraud came to light after a customer attempted to withdraw Rs 5,000 from a Union Bank ATM in KPHB Phase-9 on June 7. Although the amount was debited from the victim’s account, no cash was dispensed. Following a complaint from the customer, bank officials reviewed CCTV footage and noticed suspicious activity involving two individuals. A complaint was then made with the KPHB police.

The KPHB Crime Team analysed CCTV footage and technical evidence, identified the suspects, and arrested them.