Key arrest in hunt for gang behind 22 Gurugram ATM thefts

GURUGRAM: The arrest of a key member of the Sahid alias Advani gang has given Gurugram police its first major breakthrough in its crackdown on the notorious group, and purportedly helped solve at least 22 cases of ATM theft that have taken place across the city since December 2017.
Police, who had been struggling to solve the ATM theft cases, were again challenged by looters on Monday night after the robbers fled with a HDFC Bank ATM from Wazirabad village.

Tracking the looters, a police team conducted raids at suspected places, including Ghata Shamshabad village in Mewat, on Tuesday.

The team had information that the kingpin was hiding in the village, but just as Advani was about to be arrested, over 70 villagers attacked them, injuring three cops and helping Advani escape.

However, according to sources, police nabbed a gang member, 25-year-old Ishtaq, a native of Ghatmika village in Mewat, from Ghata Shamshabad, and got some vital clues about the gang from him. Ishtaq has reportedly confessed that the gang was behind all the ATM thefts in the city and also revealed their modus operandi. With his help, cops have managed to identify other gang members such as Sabbir, Hakku, Taufiq, Habib, Surri, Aalam Chaudhary and Asluf.

Sources said Ishtaq told police that the gang, which had at least 12 members, stole SUVs such as Scorpios, Boleros, Fortuners and Maxx pick-ups, as well as ATMs. The gang used ropes and rubber belts to pull the uprooted ATMs into cars and carry these to their hideouts.

The ATMs were then cut open with gas cutters to extract the money.

According to Ishtaq’s confessions, in many cases, the gang members stole the ATMs in stolen SUVs.

Suspected to be behind the ATM thefts, Advani was first arrested in March. However, soon after his arrest, he pushed away a cop and fled from the Bilaspur crime unit branch office. Police had declared a reward of Rs 25,000 for his arrest.

Police have not confirmed Ishtaq’s arrest, but DCP (crime) Sumit Kuhar has said they are close to busting the gang. “We have got some vital clues on Advani’s gang. Our teams are conducting raids and hope to arrest the kingpin and other members soon. We hope that after these arrests, all ATM theft cases will be solved,” said Kuhar.