Miscreants loot over Rs 16 lakh from ATMs

Unidentified persons looted over Rs 16 lakh by breaking at least five ATMs in Odisha's Ganjam district in the early hours of today, police said.

The ATMs belonging to the State bank of India (SBI) were located at Ankuli, Khodasingi, Badriraj Nagara (Gishaninuagaon), Lanjipalli and Haladiapadara area.

The miscreants used gas cutters to break the ATM machines before stealing the cash, said SP (Berhampur) Pinak Mishra.

In some places the miscreants decamped with cash trays from the ATMs, while in other places currencies were found burnt due to the use of gas cutters to break the machines, said Prafulla Kumar Nayak, chief manager of the bank after visiting the looted ATMs.

Scientific teams were rushed to the spots and inquiry started into the incidents, the SP said.

The robbers tried to break the ATM at Gopalpur Chhaka but fled on seeing police, a police officer said.

"We have received a call from Mumbai about the loot attempt of ATM at Gopalpur Chhaka at about 2.30 am. We rushed to the spot immediately. On seeing police, they started to run. We have seen only one person," said inspector in charge, Goplapur police station Sushant Sahu.

Though the miscreants could not break the ATM, but they have damaged the CCTV camera, he said.

Police said no security personnel were deployed by the bank in any of the targeted ATMs.

ATM channel manager (town) Hemant Kumar Patnaik said three out of five looted ATMs have been outsourced, where the private agency was managing the ATMs.

"The agency is responsible for the security of the machine and the cash," he said.