28 lakh robbery at HDFC bank

A gang of five armed robbers stormed HDFC Bank in Borivli (West) on Monday and made off with Rs 27.5 lakh. The robbery took just five minutes, said the police and shopkeepers in the area.

A gang of five armed robbers stormed HDFC Bank in Borivli (West) on Monday and made off with Rs 27.5 lakh. The robbery took just five minutes, said the police and shopkeepers in the area.

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The theft may have been averted had the burglar alarm, which a staff member pressed twice, gone off. The incident took place at the Shimpoli branch at 9.20 am, when the bank had not yet opened for customers. The bank’s 12 staffers and a security guard were present at the time.

The intruder, without a mask but armed with a gun, entered the bank, threatened the guard and took away his gun. Immediately, his four accomplices, all masked and armed, entered the bank. They forced the staff to gather in a corner, collected money from the cash counter and walked out after removing cartridges from the guard's gun.

"They may have parked their vehicle at a distance, they were seen escaping on foot," a police official said. "The men did not bother to go to the strong room."

The robber's face can be seen in the bank's CCTV footage, the police said. The bank said: “The cash the robbers took is insured.”