Haryana duo uses ‘power cut’ to steal cash from ATM kiosks

The accused were identified as E Zakir (29) and A Afsal Ahmed (20) of Haryana, who reached the city a week ago by train and were staying at a lodge near Aminjikarai market on Poonamallee High Road.

“While one of them withdraws money from the ATM, the other person would snap power supply to the kiosk just when the cash is about to be released. They would take out the money and then approach the bank branch to report that they did not get the cash as the kiosk malfunctioned in the last minute. At that moment, the bank manager would oblige and deposit the same amount in their account,” said an officer.

The duo had nine debit cards in their names, while the rest belong to their friends and relatives back in their hometown. “They have the same password for every five cards. If they use their friends’ card to indulge in the fraud, the actual card owner would send a mail to the bank branch and the cash is reimbursed to their account,”said police.

Though uneducated, the duo is said to have undergone “training” in Haryana at a place specialising in bank frauds. “They would come here, commit the crime for two days and return to their hometown with at least Rs 2 lakh in hand,” said an officer.

The duo allegedly told police that they randomly chose a lodge while travelling in MTC bus and decided to carry out the fraud at nearby ATMs.

Users of an SBI ATM on Perumal Koil Street in Aminjikarai reported on Wednesday evening that the kiosk did not work. As the ATM was at the entrance of the branch, the bank manager combed the CCTV footage and found two men leaving the premises around 6.30 pm. On Friday evening, the security guard noticed the same men and alerted the manager. On information, Aminjikarai police rushed to the spot and secured them. Subsequently, their room was searched, and police seized as many as 25 ATM debitcards from them.

They were remanded in judicial custody on Saturday. Further inquiry is on whether the duo withdrew cash from other ATMs in a similar manner and whether more men from the same gang have reached the city to defraud banks.