Karimnagar, September 20 (Daily Kiran) : In the early hours of September 20, thieves struck in Karimnagar, Telangana, targeting two State Bank of India (SBI) ATMs. The criminals used gas cutters to break into the machines, making off with a substantial amount of cash. The incidents occurred in the Durished and Thimmapur areas, and both were captured on CCTV.
Before stealing cash from the Durished ATM, the suspects sprayed liquid on the CCTV cameras to obscure their identities. Local police have identified a woman as part of the crime based on the footage. An alarm triggered at SBI’s office in Delhi alerted local officials to the theft.
Initial investigations revealed that two suspects, one of whom is a woman, arrived in a car around 3:30 AM. They were disguised with hats, glasses, gloves, and masks. After damaging the machine, they fled with ₹8 lakh from the Durished ATM. The total amount stolen from the second ATM remains unknown.
Police have registered two separate cases and launched an investigation. Special teams are working to apprehend the thieves, analyzing CCTV footage and collecting additional evidence from the crime scenes. The perpetrators used a vehicle registered in Maharashtra, and police are currently tracing its whereabouts. They are also reviewing CCTV footage from toll plazas to track the vehicle’s movements.
ATM thefts have been on the rise in Telangana. In May, thieves vandalized an SBI ATM in Mahbubnagar, escaping with ₹2.30 lakh after cutting through the machine with gas cutters in just seven minutes. They also damaged CCTV cameras to avoid detection.
The surge in ATM thefts poses a significant challenge for law enforcement. Police officials are holding regular meetings with bank representatives to enhance security measures at ATMs.
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