ATM looted near Chennai after burglars cut open cash chamber with welding machine

CHENNAI: A gang allegedly broke into an ICICI Bank ATM near Puthupedu village in Somangalam, on the outskirts of Tambaram, in the early hours of Tuesday and escaped with several lakh rupees after cutting open the cash chamber using a welding machine.

The incident occurred around 2.45 am at an ATM located on the Sriperumbudur-Kundrathur Road. The ATM had no security guard, but was monitored through CCTV cameras connected online to ICICI Bank’s central control room in Mumbai.

According to police, the control room received an alert and raised an alarm soon after the suspects entered the ATM and began cutting open the machine. The control room subsequently alerted the Tamil Nadu Police and the Somangalam police station. However, as the exact location of the ATM was reportedly not immediately clear, police personnel searched several ATMs in the area before reaching the targeted ATM.

By then, the burglars had completed the operation and fled in their vehicle with the cash.

The ATM had reportedly been replenished with cash on Monday evening. Police suspect that more than Rs 10 lakh could have been stolen, though the exact amount is yet to be ascertained.

The burglars allegedly sprayed a chemical on the CCTV cameras to prevent their faces from being recorded. Police are examining the available footage and collecting forensic evidence to identify the suspects. Footage reportedly shows one masked person inside the ATM, raising questions over whether other members of the gang remained outside as lookouts.

A special team of the Tambaram City Police Commissionerate is investigating the case. Police are also analysing mobile phone numbers and call records from towers in the area.

Investigators suspect the involvement of a possible north Indian gang, possibly the Bawaria gang. The incident has caused concern among police as previous ATM theft attempts in the Chennai suburbs generally ended with suspects fleeing after alarms were triggered, whereas the latest gang managed to break open the ATM machine and escape with the cash.