Two masked robbers were caught red-handed when they attempted to break open an automated teller machine (ATM) of a private bank at Shanti Nagar here in the early hours of Sunday.
Police identified the accused as S. Sundararaj, 23, and V. Muthu, 23, of Vannarpettai.
Parking their motorbike near the ATM, the duo snapped the wire of the CCTV network inside the kiosk at 2 a.m. They started to break open the ATM unaware that the bank had installed an anti-burglary alarm mechanism that will alert its Mumbai office.
On receiving the alarm, an official at the Mumbai office alerted Palayamkottai police station about the robbery attempt. The message was passed on to the night patrol team, which rushed to the spot and picked up the duo. It also seized the motorbike and weapons.
“An effective anti-burglary alert system and swift action by the police prevented the heist at the ATM,” Commissioner of Police Deepak M. Domar said.
Palayamkottai police are investigating.