Rajkot, October 11 (Daily Kiran) : A criminal scheme targeting ATMs has been unraveled in Rajkot, where police arrested three individuals from Uttar Pradesh for stealing cash. The suspects, identified as 23-year-old Afsar Ahmad Riyazat Ali, 27-year-old Arbaaz Fayyaz Ahmad, and 26-year-old Shahid Khan Mohammad Saleem, were apprehended while attempting to tamper with another ATM in the Pujara Plot area.
The arrests were made on Sunday, following a tip-off that led police to the suspects just before they could execute their plan. Authorities confiscated cash amounting to ₹1,12,200, three mobile phones valued at ₹33,000, a car worth ₹3 lakh, four aluminum strips, a fiber ring binder, and an ATM card from the Bank of Baroda. The total estimated value of the seized items is ₹4,45,200.
According to police reports, the trio targeted ATMs belonging to the State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda, particularly during bank holidays or when the banks were closed. They would conduct reconnaissance before inserting aluminum strips into the cash dispenser, which would trap the cash inside.
When unsuspecting customers attempted to withdraw money, the transaction would appear successful, but the cash would remain stuck. Once the customer left, the suspects would return to remove the strips and retrieve the trapped money.
The investigation, based on CCTV footage and intelligence, led to the arrests. Police indicated that the suspects were caught before they could commit another theft. The Crime Branch has linked the trio to three reported cases: one at the Bhaktinagar police station in Rajkot, another at the Malviyanagar police station, and a third at the A Division police station in Mehsana.
Further inquiries revealed that the suspects confessed to targeting ATMs across various locations in Gujarat and Mumbai. Reported incidents include thefts at ATMs in Surat, Ahmedabad, and Rajkot, with amounts ranging from ₹7,000 to ₹1 lakh taken in different instances.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of the suspects’ activities and to prevent further ATM thefts in the region.
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