Burglars break open ATM, loot Rs 4.90 L in Namakkal

COIMBATORE: Burglars broke open an ATM of a private bank and decamped with Rs 4.90 lakh in Namakkal early on Thursday.

The ATM of Lakshmi Vilas Bank, located in a building complex on Salem-Namakkal National Highways near Puduchatram at Perumalkovilmedu bus stop was found with its shutters closed around 5am.

Police said Ganesan, a casual staff member, who came to clean the ATM, found the shutters down. He opened the shutter and was shocked to find the ATM broken open with gas welders and the money looted. The kiosk was filled with smoke suggesting that the burglars had struck just a while ago.

A team led by Superintendent of Police E Sai Saran Tejaswi rushed to the spot and inquiries revealed that the burglars had broken open after 3 am as just then the police on routine patrol had noticed the ATM intact.

The culprits snapped the wires of the burglary alarm in the ATM, which had no security guard. Six special teams have been formed and images captured in the CCTV’s in the complex and neighbourhood were being scrutinised to track down the culprits.