ANANTAPUR: Anantapur police have successfully apprehended an inter-State gang of thieves involved in recent ATM robberies in the district.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Anantapur Superintendent of Police (SP) P Jagadeesh disclosed the details and modus operandi of the accused. The arrested have been identified as Robin (21), Shakir (40) from Haryana and Salim (30), Hukma Khan (32), Majeed (35) from Rajasthan.
The police also recovered a truck, a gas cylinder, a gas cutter, five cell phones, Rs 2 lakh in cash, three iron rods, a hammer, a packet of chilli powder, and a sanitizer from them, the SP said and informed that seven others from the gang: Wasim, Saddam, Tauseef, Rahul, Harshad, Warish, and Ataulla are on the run.
SP Jagadeesh disclosed that all twelve members of the gang arrived at the SBI ATM near Ramnagar flyover in two cars at 2:30 am on August 4, 2024. After positioning their vehicles in a strategic location, eight members were stationed around the ATM to keep watch, while the remaining four, led by Saddam (gas cutter), entered the ATM spraying black paint on the CCTV cameras. They cut open the ATM and stole Rs 29,80,000.
The SP said the gang’s modus operandi included targeting ATMs with large cash reserves and without guards. After each robbery, they would divide the portion for expenses and keepthe bulk with Robin until they returned to Haryana to split the loot.
The police launched an intensive search operation for the gang in the aftermath of four ATM robberies. The team, led by DSP TVV Pratap, comprising CIs Ismail, Pratap Reddy, Sridhar, Sivarama Reddy, Sheikh Zakir, Kanumuri Sainath, and SIs Nagamadhu, Ghouse Basha, Rajasekhar Reddy, was formed. Acting on a tip-off, the team arrested five members of the gang near the trees along the Kakkalapalli service road in Anantapur on Saturday. The gang was reportedly planning another ATM heist when they were caught.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THE 12-MEMBER GANG
Anantapur Superintendent of Police (SP) P Jagadeesh told the media that the gang’s modus operandi included targeting ATMs with large cash reserves and without guards. The gang members would conduct recce using local auto-rickshaws before the robbery. They would then execute the heist between 2 am and 4 am when everyone was sound asleep. After each robbery, they would divide the money for personal expenses first and leave the bulk amount with Robin, a gang member, until they returned to Haryana