Smooth operator: Thief enters ATM kiosk, walks away with Rs4 lakh in P’kula

Hina Rohtaki

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 31

In a rare case, an ATM machine was opened using a password and Rs 4 lakh looted from the ATM of the State Bank of India (SBI) located inside the Chandimandir cantonment here yesterday.

The CCTV footage seized by the police showed how a man easily walked into the ATM kiosk at 8.43 am, entered the password, opened the lower part of the machine, stuffed the money into a small bag and then walked away.  

It was when the officials of CMS Company went to fill in the cash in the machine yesterday evening they got to know that the money inside the ATM was missing.  When the officials examined the CCTV footage, they saw the accused committing the crime. They inform the police about the crime today. 

“Whenever we fill the cash in the ATM, we get to know how much of cash is there in the ATM and the amount withdrawn. Just a day earlier, we put Rs 8 lakh in the machine,”said manager Joginder. It was on the complaint of Joginder that a case was registered at the Chandimandir police station. 

He added,” We have given all the details to the police.”

The Station House Officer of the Chandimandir police station, Inspector Arvind Kumar, said, “We suspect the role of a former employee in the case. The company also informed us that they had sacked an employee a few days ago so it could be his handiwork. He must have been aware of the confidential password.”

He added, “We will investigate each employee as there is a possibility that someone may have assisted the accused in committing the crime.”