CHENNAI: The arrest of three persons, all natives of West Bengal, on Wednesday revealed the role of a construction worker in the break-in at the Hitachi Payment Services ATM at Mettukandigai in Koodapakkam near Vellavedu in Tiruvallur district on September 5.
The worker allegedly tipped off his associates in West Bengal, helping a seven-member gang break open the ATM containing around Rs 12 lakh, and flee with the cash.
The three arrested have been identified as Sarfar Khan (53), Samir (36) and Rasul (28), and they have been remanded in judicial custody.
As per the preliminary investigation, the worker, who is yet to be nabbed, was working at a construction site located nearly 500 metres from the ATM. The police said most of the members in the seven-member gang, with whom the worker shared the information, earn a living by collecting and selling garbage.
The seven allegedly stayed together in an accommodation arranged by Rasul before and after the burglary. The police said after dividing the loot among themselves, the gang members fled to different places, including West Bengal and Karnataka. The police are still searching for another person who allegedly helped the construction worker.
The police had formed four special teams for technical surveillance, tracking interstate ATM theft networks and conducting field investigations in other states. The police traced and secured the three when they returned to Chennai, and seized Rs 1.72 lakh and a two-wheeler from them. One of the suspects had a criminal case registered against him in Delhi, from which he was later acquitted, the police said.
Speaking to reporters, Avadi Deputy Commissioner V Vinoth Santharam said the case is challenging as the crime occurred around midnight with minimal public movement. “The teams worked hard and even travelled out of the state to track down and nab the suspects,” he added.
