Post by : Raina
Al-Fahim
In a bold theft in Bengaluru, law enforcement has apprehended seven individuals accused of stealing ₹70 million (approximately $800,000) from an ATM cash transport vehicle. This robbery took place three days prior, with police promptly resolving the case and retrieving ₹57.6 million of the misappropriated funds.
According to officials, the assailants impersonated Reserve Bank of India personnel to halt the cash transport in the Lalbagh precinct during daylight. They requested to verify the documentation for the substantial cash, subsequently forcing the cash custodian and two security personnel into an SUV, while one perpetrator commandeered the cash van.
Authorities also uncovered that the criminals employed counterfeit vehicle registration numbers and meticulously selected locations devoid of active CCTV surveillance to transfer the stolen cash. They even switched vehicles mid-heist to evade detection.
Among those taken into custody are Gopal Prasad, a CMS cash transport employee, J Xavier, a previous CMS staff member, and Annappa Naik, a local police officer. The authorities are actively searching for two to three additional suspects implicated in the heist.
Bengaluru's Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh stated that more than 200 officers collaborated across Karnataka and nearby states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa, to apprehend the suspects.
The police are also examining CMS, the cash transport service, for any potential lapses in cash handling. Commissioner Singh urged that cash vans should avoid predictable routes and schedules, as this facilitates criminal activity.
This incident underscores the pressing need for enhanced security protocols in cash transportation to thwart such audacious crimes in the future. The investigation is ongoing, with hopes of capturing all suspects soon.
English
