Burglars drill hole through Delhi bank wall, decamp with cash, jewellery worth Rs 30 lakh

The bank is located on the main road near the Mundka Metro station but the break-in went unnoticed. It came to light on Monday morning after bank staffers opened the premises and found it ransacked.

Burglars broke into a cooperative bank in outer Delhi’s Mundka, cut open a dozen lockers and safes using gas cutters and stole cash and jewellery worth over Rs 30 lakh last week, police said on Tuesday.

The police said the way the lockers were broken and locks were cut suggested that the burglars were inside the bank for not less than 10 hours. (Photo: Sourced)

The crime took place between Saturday night and Monday morning when the bank was closed and its only security guard was not present.

The burglars entered the bank after drilling a hole in a concrete wall which faces an open plot, Amit Sharma, additional DCP (outer), said .

The plot is used for dumping garbage and has dense vegetation.

Though the bank is located on the main road and is near the Mundka Metro station, the break-in went unnoticed because the property has boundary walls and an iron gate.

The crime came to light on Monday morning after bank staffers opened the premises and found it ransacked.

Police said the burglars had carried out comprehensive reconnaissance as they were carrying small gas cylinders, cutters and other equipment used for break-ins.

A police officer said the burglars could have broken over 30 lockers and safes had they not run out of gas cylinders.

“The way the lockers were broken and locks were cut suggests the burglars were inside the bank for not less than 10 hours. The exact value of cash and jewellery stolen is yet to be ascertained as the lockers belonged to private customers,” said the officer.

Sharma said a case of burglary had been registered against unknown persons at the Mundka police station. The bank has a security guard who is not present on holidays.

“CCTV cameras are installed in the bank but since the burglars took away the digital video recorder, we do not have any footage related to the crime. We have formed teams to identify the burglars,” said Sharma.

A list of criminals previously involved in similar crimes is being prepared and some local criminals are being rounded up. Investigators are also probing is bank employees are also involved.

Footage of CCTV cameras installed near the bank are being examined for clues.

The broken wall was repaired on Monday. The crime investigation team took fingerprints from the crime scene, the officer said.