HINDUPUR: In a major heist, burglars targeted an unguarded State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Thumukunta village of Sri Sathyasai district and decamped with Rs 38 lakh in cash and 10 kg of gold, police said on Tuesday.
The burglary took place around 2 am on Sunday but came to light only on Monday, according to Hindupur Sub-Divisional Police Officer KV Mahesh.
“It happened at the SBI branch in Thumukunta under Hindupur mandal. The thieves took Rs 38 lakh in cash and 10 kg of gold. Surveillance footage shows one person inside the bank before the system was destroyed. We suspect more individuals joined later,” Mahesh told PTI.
He added that the burglars may have stayed inside the bank for nearly two hours during the heist.
The police officer highlighted serious lapses in the bank’s security. “There was no security guard at the branch for the past four years. The bank had a large window with flimsy grills that could easily be bent by hand. It was an open invitation to burglars,” Mahesh said.
He also revealed that the local Inspector of Police had warned the bank management about the weak security three months ago, but no action was taken.
A case has been registered, and police teams are conducting search operations to trace the culprits.