The mystery behind the attempts to loot a couple of ATMs at Muralinagar area has been solved by the City Police with the arrest of a youth of Yerramsettivanipalem under Narsapuram Police Station limits in West Godavari district.
Giving details to the media here on Thursday, Police Commissioner B. Shivadhar Reddy said that Konisetti Krishna (22) made a vain bid to commit theft at two ATM centres of State Bank of Hyderabad and Canara Bank at Muralinagar a few days ago.
Krishna had worked as an operator at a private marine services company in the city.
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He came to the city on January 19 and stayed at the Railway Station and NAD junction in the city. On January 21, Krishna hatched a plan to rob the ATM centre of SBH, where there was no security. He purchased a screwdriver and visited the ATM centre during the afternoon hours on the plea of checking the balance in his account.
He had Rs.72 in his account. He went to the same ATM that night by wearing a mask and broke open the front doors of the both the ATM counters. He, however, failed in his attempt to break open the cover of the ATM and left the place.
He purchased a grind machine for Rs.1,350 and again attempted to loot the ATM of Canara Bank at Muralinagar on January 24. He broke open the front doors of the ATM and cut the body on the back side of the ATM by using the grinding machine that night, but he fled on hearing some commotion on the road outside.
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The Police Commissioner said that a meeting would be held with bankers in the city to impress upon them the need to augment security at ATMs. There are 358 ATM centres in the city.
Of these 152 had both cc cameras and security persons, 43 had no cc cameras and 143 had no watchmen. Ironically, 23 ATMs had neither cc cameras nor security personnel.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) B. Prasada Rao said that though nothing was lost, the futile attempts at Muralinagar had created a sensation in the area.
The accused was caught based on the CCTV footage at the ATM counter of SBH on January 21.
The accused Krishna confessed his guilt during the interrogation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) P. Viswa Prasad was present.