Jeedimetla police nab notorious ATM theft gang; Rs 17 lakh cash recovered

On Thursday, the sleuths of CCS Balanagar and Jeedimetla Police arrested three of the gang members and recovered stolen cash of Rs 17 lakh from them. Other contraband, such as four- and two-wheelers, were seized. The total worth of the seizure is Rs 20 lakh.

The accused have been identified as Yasib Hussain alias Asif Haarun Khan and Md. Abed from Haryana and Aamir Ansari from Hyderabad.

Case details

As per police records, on the intervening night of July 8 and 9, at 3:30 am, the gang gained entry into the HDFC ATM at Markhandaya Nagar, in the limits of Jeedimetla PS, by cutting the ATM with gas cutters. They stole cash amounting to Rs 34.71 lakh and fled. A case was registered the next day and police started the investigation.

The police analysed CCTV footage from 500 cameras along possible escape routes. By matching the modus operandi (MO) with the known offenders and verifying suspect data, the team successfully identified and apprehended the accused.

Modus operandi

The notorious ATM interstate gang has a history of committing multiple ATM thefts across various States.

Prior to committing any offence, the gang forms into smaller groups. They conduct reconnaissance (recce) of ATM centres, specifically targeting those located in isolated or closed areas and equipped with external shutters.

They source gas cylinders and cutting machines from nearby shops and select midnight hours as the preferred time to commit the offence, minimising public presence. Before the offence, they steal two-wheelers to use for commuting to and from the crime scenes

Upon reaching the targeted ATM, they first cut CCTV wires to disable surveillance and conceal their identity. Then, they cut open the ATM using gas cutters to access the cash inside. After committing the offence, they flee from the Scene of Crime (SOC) using the stolen two-wheelers.

In this case, the stolen vehicle used during the offence was abandoned in Gummadidala PS limits. Subsequently, the gang committed another two-wheeler theft in Kamareddy, using those vehicles to travel to Adilabad. In Adilabad, they again abandoned the vehicles. From Adilabad, the gang split into two teams. They escaped by boarding trucks, ultimately returning to their respective native places.

The accused were said to be involved in more than 30 offences, i.e., house burglary, ATM centres and automobile theft cases at various police stations in various States and were sent to jail on a number of occasions.