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Ludhiana: Lax security blamed as burglars decamp with cash tray from ATM
Kiosk in Basti Jodhewal neither had CCTV cameras nor a security guard on duty; amount stolen yet to be ascertained
In a late-night heist that exposed glaring security lapses, a group of unidentified robbers fled with the cash tray of an Axis Bank ATM in Kailash Nagar, Basti Jodhewal, around 2 am on Saturday. The ATM kiosk had neither CCTV cameras nor a security guard on duty, and its shutter, though down, was found unlocked.
According to the police, the accused arrived at the ATM kiosk in a white Maruti Suzuki Swift car. Finding the premises completely guardless and the shutter unlatched, the robbers allegedly used a gas cutter to break open the ATM machine and escaped with the cash tray within minutes.
While the exact amount stolen is yet to be ascertained, local shopkeepers said the ATM had been replenished with cash barely two days earlier.
Station house officer (SHO) of Jodhewal police station, inspector Jasvir Singh, said the police control room received an alert from an onlooker, following which a police control room (PCR) team rushed to the spot. “However, the accused managed to flee just about five minutes before the PCR reached the ATM kiosk,” he said.
The SHO said that two to three suspects were involved in the crime and appeared to have come fully prepared. “They arrived with a gas cutter. Since the shutter was not properly locked, their entry was easy. They cut open the ATM, removed the cash tray and fled in their car,” inspector Singh said.
“Efforts are on to trace the suspects,” he added.
An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons, the SHO said. “Police teams are scanning CCTV footage from nearby establishments to identify the suspects and trace the getaway vehicle,” he added.
Inspector Singh said the exact amount stolen would be ascertained only after bank officials open the kiosk and carry out a detailed audit on Monday.
The incident has also brought to light an apparent violation of police directives. Ludhiana Police had earlier ordered all banks to ensure that ATM kiosks without security guards remain shut after 8 pm. In the present case, though the shutter was pulled down, it was not properly locked, allowing the robbers easy access.
The police revealed that the ATM kiosk did not have any CCTV cameras installed inside or outside the premises. “The only camera available is the one fitted inside the ATM machine. Some cameras in the surrounding area have captured visuals of the car, but not the faces of the accused,” the SHO said.
Police officials said responsibility would be fixed after a detailed inquiry.
Earlier ATM robberies in the region
Similar ATM robberies using gas cutters have been reported in the region in the past. On September 18, 2024, four masked miscreants targeted a Punjab National Bank ATM at Lamme Jattpura village in Jagraon and decamped with ₹17.14 lakh in cash. The accused sprayed black paint on the security cameras, cut open the ATM using a gas cutter and fled, leaving behind the oxygen cylinder used in the crime.
Earlier, on November 13, 2021, robbers struck at an ATM in Sawaddi Kalan village of Sidhwan Bet and escaped with ₹9.74 lakh in cash after cutting open the machine with a gas cutter.
