espite clear guidelines from the RBI and repeated communication from the police, banks and non-banking entities, which manage the ATM kiosks, have failed to put in place adequate security cover, said officials. During a failed attempt to rob an ATM kiosk in Pimpri-Chinchwad, two suspects triggered a blast in the early hours of Thursday but could not take away any cash.
The incident took place in Talawade Road area in Pimpri-Chinchwad at an ATM kiosk of a nationalised bank at 3.45 am. “Initial investigation suggests that two suspects came on a bike and triggered a blast with the help of gelatin sticks. Some people, who were nearby and were alerted because of the blast, came to the spot and even tried to give chase to the burglars. The two burglars managed to flee. They couldn’t break open the cash box, which is intact. We have launched a probe based on various leads available,” said Inspector Vasant Babar, in-charge of Chikhali police station. This is not the first instance of burglars trying to rob an ATM by triggering a blast.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Police are probing a heist at an ATM kiosk on Chakan Alandi Road near Pune on December 26 last year, in which burglars had triggered a low-intensity blast at the cash dispenser and escaped with cash of Rs 16 lakh. Pune City Police is also probing failed attempts to break open three cash dispensers at two kiosks in Kondhwa and Khadki Bazar areas, on January 13 and 14 this year.
In July last year, burglars had triggered a blast using a contraption similar to an improvised explosive device to break the dispenser, and fled with the cash of Rs 28 lakh. near Chakan. There have also been several instances in which burglars have used ropes and cars to uproot the dispensers or gas cutters to break open the machine, and have fled with large sums of cash.
The series of recent burglaries at ATMs, especially those located in industrial areas in and around Pune, have revealed a pattern of crimes. Most of these heists have taken place in deserted areas during the night. Despite clear guidelines from the RBI and repeated communication from the police, banks and non-banking entities, which manage the ATM kiosks, have failed to put in place adequate security cover, said officials.
Taking note of common aspects like inadequate security cover at the kiosks, police have also started charging concerned bank officials of ‘abetting’ these crimes for failing to take necessary measures towards securing these ATMs. Police officials said that directives issued to banks and ATM-managing entities are very elaborate. They pertain to alarm systems and these mechanisms being linked to cell phones of the officials, security cameras and their specifications, armed security guard deployment and lighting arrangements, among other measures.
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