Cops get leads in ATM theft; 10 grilled in 3 states

TIRUVANNAMALAI: In the first major breakthrough in the investigation into the daring serial ATM burglary in Tiruvannamalai, Kalasapakkam and Polur, the police nabbed 10 suspects who are being questioned in Karnataka, Gujarat and Haryana.

Speaking to the media here on Thursday, IG (North Zone) N Kannan said a special team led by Tirupattur SP Balakrishnan was questioning two suspects at Kolar in Karnataka, while the team headed by Tiruvannamalai SP K Karthikeyan was interrogating six in Haryana and Vellore SP S Rajesh Kannan questioning 2 others in Vadodara in Gujarat.

Claiming that the police had conclusive evidence that a group of people from Haryana were involved in the crime, Kannan said all but two of the suspects have been secured so far.

The suspects had stayed at a hotel in Kolar and recced the potential sites. After stealing Rs 72.50 lakh from four ATMs on February 12, they went to Bengaluru from Kolar and then left for Haryana by air, the officer said.

The IG said the investigating officials had collected photo and video evidence of the accused in the case, and added that these would be released soon. Kannan said police in Karnataka, Haryana and Gujarat were extending full cooperation to Tamil Nadu police, and added that the officers in these states have asked for more details about the suspects being questioned to find out whether they were involved in any cases those states.

It was the first time such a crime happened in the State, Kannan said, and explained how one of the ATMs was targeted merely minutes after beat constables left after checking the area. As such thefts are new, training would be provided to the personnel in preventing and dealing with them, he added.

Vellore range DIG MS Muthusamy and Ranipet SP DV Kiran Shruthi were present during the press meet.