I apologise: Failed thief writes touching letter to bank in Noida

Hastily scribbled note on Canara Bank's letterhead blames inflation and unemployment for robbery attempt. The incident was reported on Monday morning when the staff of Canara Bank of Sector 6 in Noida found the locks of the doors broken.

The thief who failed to rob a Canara Bank branch in Noida Sunday night is poor, desperate and apologetic. The clues about the thief came not from detective work but a letter he left behind.

Police-officials-look-for-clues-at-Canara-Bank-in-Noida-Sector-6-HT-photo

"What greetings? I am writing this sitting in your chair. I have young children, and inflation has increased severely. I lost my private (sic) job too," read a translation of the note written in Hindi by the thief on bank's letter pad.

The incident was reported on Monday morning when the staff of Canara Bank of Sector 6 in Noida found the locks of the doors broken. They immediately informed the police about the incident.

"The police team reached the spot with sniffer dogs. It was found that the thief failed to steal anything as all the money was in the strong room. We have accessed CCTV footage to check whether he was caught on camera," said a senior police official.

While looking for clues, the police found a note lying at the desk of the branch manager. "The note has been apparently written by the thief after he failed in his bid to steal," the official said.

Police said the computers, documents, strong room and lockers of the bank are safe.

"Prima facie it seems like the thief entered from the door at the roof and then broke a window to flee. We have found a long rope tied from a window of the bank. The note he left has been confiscated for further investigation," the official added.

The incident also raised questions about the security arrangement of Noida police. The bank is located inside the premises of Noida Authority office. The offices of city superintendent of police, three circle officers and other police officials are within a walking distance of the spot.

"The dog squad and forensic teams have gathered some inputs from the spot. We will nab the suspect soon," the official added.