ATM loot bid in Chandigarh’s Sector 34

The burglars ended up damaging the ATM, ripping off its screen and breaking some wires, but could not get access to around ₹3 lakh stored in it

Burglars made an unsuccessful attempt to steal money from an Axis Bank ATM in Sector 34 on Friday night.

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It was around 10:30pm that a group of youths with their faces covered with masks entered the ATM booth, said police. They first applied a tape on six CCTV cameras installed on the premises and then started to try and open the ATM. They ended up damaging the kiosk, ripping off its screen and breaking some wires, but could not get access to around ₹3 lakh stored in the ATM at the time, said police. Finally, they fled.

Police were informed in the morning after the bank officials saw what had transpired. The CCTV footage is being checked to identify the miscreants.

A case under Section 380 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the Sector 34 police station. Officials privy to the matter said it appeared the accused had carried out a recce before striking at the ATM, which had no security guard posted outside, and were aware of all CCTV cameras installed inside.

Past incidents

August 10: Three masked men make an unsuccessful attempt to loot an unguarded ATM in Subhash Nagar, Manimajra, around midnight

June 24: Burglars try to steal money from an SBI ATM in the Sector-44 market

June 18: Masked man flee with ₹7.6 lakh from a Union Bank of India ATM at Kishangarh

May 31: Four people make unsuccessful bid to loot an ATM at Kishangarh