KOCHI: The police are investigating whether local residents or outsiders were behind the theft attempt reported at a bank in Perumbavoor on Saturday. The incident happened at the Kerala Gramin Bank branch on the AM Road around 11.30pm.
The suspected robbers had managed to drill a small hole in the wall of the bank building but escaped after the security staff nearby heard the sound and alerted the police. The police suspect a “professional hand’’ behind the operation. “A manhunt is under way but we can’t divulge more details now,” said an officer with the Perumbavoor police station. The suspects entered the first floor through a ladder at the rear end of the building.
They then covered a CCTV camera with a plastic cover before trying to drill the hole. The security staff of another bank’s ATM counter in the area noticed the drilling noise coming from the first floor. When the police reached the spot, the suspects managed to escape. Forensic experts and a dog squad examined the location on Sunday. The police team recovered a pickaxe, reportedly used by the suspects, from the spot.