Kochi/Thrissur: Robbers decamped with Rs 35 lakh after breaking into two ATMs at different places in the wee hours of Friday. While Rs 25 lakh was robbed from the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM at Irumpanam on the outskirts of Kochi, another gang robbed Rs 10 lakh from the South Indian Bank (SIB) ATM at Koratty, Thrissur district.
Kochi City Police Commissioner M P Dinesh said the same gang is suspected in both crimes because of the similarities of the heist.
Robbers sprayed paint onto the CCTV camera as they entered the SIB ATM at Koratty, in front of the Government of India Press, at around 4.30 am Friday. The machine was thereafter broken with a gas cutter.
The bank claimed Rs 10,86,000 has been lost. The branch noticed the loss of money when it opened for the day. Top police officers have arrived at the spot.
The SBI ATM machine at Irumpanam was also breached with a gas cutter, and Rs 25 lakh taken away. The last withdrawal recorded at the ATM was at 11.30 on Thursday night. The police conclusion is that the robbery might have taken place between 11.30 and 3.30 am Friday.
The crime was carried out after downing the shutters. The CCTV camera was covered with spray paint, and hence much of visuals may not be available. The police are checking if visuals recorded before the paint was sprayed could be available on the hard disk.
A crude attempt was made two years ago to rob this ATM, breaking it with stones, but the effort did not succeed.
