In a daring overnight heist, an SBI ATM in Chikkodi town, Belgaum district, fell victim to thieves armed with a gas cutter, resulting in the loss of a significant sum.
According to reports, a group of four culprits arrived in a car and successfully looted more than 23 lakhs from the SBI ATM before making a quick getaway. Authorities, in collaboration with bank personnel, are in the process of determining the exact amount taken from the compromised ATM.
The ATM belonging to Axis Bank was also stolen and the CCTV cameras inside the ATM center were sprayed with black paint.
These audacious miscreants also made an unsuccessful attempt to pilfer from the Indian Overseas Bank ATM. Presently, the Chikkodi police and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts have visited the crime scene to gather evidence and conduct investigations.
Similarly, another case of theft emerged in Ankali village, Chikkodi taluk, where four masked individuals infiltrated an ATM facility late at night. The targeted ATM, owned by Axis Bank, was also stolen, and to evade surveillance, the perpetrators resorted to disabling the CCTV cameras by spraying them with black paint.
In total, two ATMs were stolen in the late-night spree, with a third attempted theft proving unsuccessful. Just two days ago, the Ankali Axis Bank ATM had been loaded with 17 lakhs, and now both police and bank personnel are diligently working to ascertain the extent of the stolen funds. The Chikkodi community is left in shock as a series of ATM thefts has rattled the town.
