Gas-cutter gang targets SBI ATMs across Bihar, Rs 1.5 crore stolen in a month

Bettiah: A spate of gas-cutter attacks on ATMs has put Bihar Police on alert. At least seven SBI ATMs in six districts were targeted by thieves within a month. They used gas cutters to break open the machines and steal Rs 1.54 crore in cash. The identical modus operandi, repeated across districts, has prompted an intensified multi-state probe with investigators now closing in on a suspected organised gang operating from Haryana.

The latest incidents include the theft from two SBI ATMs in West Champaran’s Bettiah on Dec 18. All the targeted ATMs belonged to the SBI and police said the striking similarities in each case suggested the involvement of a single, well-organised gang.

The Bettiah police administration has constituted eight teams to crack the ATM theft cases. These teams are conducting raids in different parts of the country.

DIG of Champaran range Hari Kishore Rai said on Sunday, “On the night of Dec 18, Rs 14 lakh was stolen from two SBI ATMs in the Nautan and Town police station areas of Bettiah using a gas cutter. Taking the matter seriously, an investigation was launched. Clues from CCTV cameras and technical investigations revealed some crucial leads. ATM thefts in other districts of Bihar were also studied. This revealed that the thieves targeted SBI ATMs that had been filled with cash before the incident and where guards were not present. Another commonality was that the thieves had either blacked out or broken the CCTV cameras in the ATMs before the thefts. In all the thefts, the same type of vehicle was used.”

He said eight police teams from Bettiah were formed based on these patterns and sent to different states to conduct raids. In a related development, police in West Bengal recently arrested members of an ATM theft gang involved in similar crimes.

After receiving this information, a team from Bettiah police visited West Bengal and interrogated the arrested suspects. The questioning yielded key inputs. Further verification suggested that the gang is led by a single leader who is a resident of Haryana with some members also hailing from Rajasthan.

According to police findings, the gang has trained several groups of young operatives, who are deployed to carry out ATM cash thefts in different states, including Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal. Investigators have also received inputs suggesting that local youths are being used as spotters to provide logistical support.