Delhi: Thieves target three ATMs in a night, flee with Rs 24 lakh

NEW DELHI: Thieves struck at three different ATMs in southeast Delhi on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. While the locals in Jamia Nagar spotted them and thwarted their bid, the thieves managed to uproot and take away ATMs in Jaitpur and Pul Prahladpur.

Just two days ago, thieves had unsuccessfully tried to steal an ATM in Lajpat Nagar. None of the ATMs targeted had a guard deployed there, and the same modus operandi— tying the ATM to a hook and driving the vehicle ahead with a jerk to uproot it— was used in all the cases.

It is suspected that the same gang of thieves is on the prowl and a manhunt has been initiated to nab them.


The incident at Jamia Nagar area was reported around 2.40am from Okhla Vihar colony when the locals dialled 100. The cops reached the spot and found the machine broken and kept outside the booth. A probe revealed that a passerby named Rizwan had raised an alarm after noticing four persons trying to load the broken ATM in a vehicle, forcing the accused to flee.

“The accused also damaged the CCTV of an adjacent ATM kiosk and sprayed a black substance on the targeted ATM kiosk to hide their identity,” said a police officer.

At Jaitpur, police received information around 5am about the theft. An ATM installed at F- Block, Harsh Vihar was broken and cash around Rs 7.91 lakh stolen. The cops are checking the CCTV footage from the kiosk to identify the thieves.

Around 8am, police were informed about another ATM theft in Pul Prahladpur area. The thieves were here in a pickup van, the CCTV footage has revealed. About Rs 17 lakh was stolen here.

DCP (south-east) RP Meena said that FIRs have been registered and teams formed to crack the cases.