Rs. 15 lakh missing after bank’s vehicle hijacked

CHENNAI: TAMILNADU 30/08/2016: Van delivering money for an ATM was waylaid and looted of an undlisclosed amount of money by first car jacking it from the drivers and then leaving with the money after abandoning it in Royapuram, in Chennai. (Sources say that some money was left behind in the vehicle). Photo: R. Ravindran.

A cash-laden van belonging to Indian Overseas Bank that went ‘missing’ from a busy area on Tuesday evening was traced by city police within hours.

The cash-laden Tata Sumo had arrived to fill the chest of an ATM located near Angappa Naickar Street, off Second Line Beach Road. While K. Anandan, filling agent, and Surendrakumar Singh, gunman stepped in to the ATM at 7 p.m., Narayanan, the driver was waiting outside with the vehicle, still laden with cash. As the driver received a call on his mobile, he alighted from the vehicle, thinking it was his colleagues who had summoned him. After locking the vehicle, he entered the ATM, only to be told that he was not summoned. When the driver came out, the vehicle was missing.

They rushed to the North Beach Police Station and filed a complaint. The police decided to look first in North Chennai area.

Sensing that they were being cornered, the burglars abandoned the vehicle on North Mada Street in Royapuram and escaped.

S. Jayakumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police told The Hindu : “Initial investigation revealed that the vehicle carried Rs.37 lakh and we recovered around Rs. 22 lakh from the abandoned vehicle. We are investigating and will nab the culprits soon.”