An attempted ATM theft was foiled by an alert citizen here in the early hours of Saturday. The incident occurred at the State Bank of Mysore (SBM) ATM counter on 27th Cross, Jayanagar 6 Block. The ATM counter, located in a residential area, however, did not have any security guard.
At around 2.30 a.m., two men arrived in an autorickshaw at the ATM counter. As they wore helmets, their faces were not captured by CCTV cameras.
They used a gas cutter to try and break open the ATM, which made a noise. A resident in the house on the opposite side of the lane saw this through the window. He immediately called the police and alerted them.
The Jayanagar police reached the spot within minutes. The culprits, Ramesh and Lokesh, were arrested. The police said that the accused were working as daily wage labourers at Namma Metro . Police sources said that the two, who were residents of Jaraganahalli, were not habitual offenders.
They are said to have had a debt of Rs. 4 lakh, which is why they attempted the theft, according to the police. The police have recovered knives, chilli powder and the gas cutter from them. A case has been registered in the Jayanagar police station.
