After 34 ATM burglaries, gang lands in police net

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 25

The Kapurthala police yesterday arrested all three members of a gang that was involved in 34 ATM burglaries in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh over the past four years.

The gang had looted Rs3.26 crore so far, including Rs11.43 lakh from an Oriental Bank of Commerce ATM at Sultanpur Lodhi five days ago.

Their Hyundai Verna car was stopped at a naka in Sultanpur Lodhi. The presence of gas cutters, an LPG cylinder, an oxygen cylinder, regulators, pipes, gloves and multiple car number plates made the police suspicious. Inderjit Singh of Rama Mandi (Jalandhar), Amrik Singh of Tarn Taran and Prince of Jalandhar Cantonment were taken into custody.

During a search, country-made pistols, cartridges and intoxicating pills were seized. The trio was booked under Sections 392, 482, 457, 380 and 411 of the IPC.

Kapurthala SSP Sandeep Sharma said, “My police teams were told to check Verna cars as we had spotted this vehicle in the CCTV footage of the camera installed outside the ATM kiosk. Those arrested were also involved in car thefts. They had taken away the Verna from a doctor in Amritsar two months ago.”

The gang did not carry any mobile phone while committing crimes. They used two walkie-talkie sets, which have been recovered.

The police have recovered only Rs10 lakh so far. Jalandhar Zone IG Arpit Shukla said the accused had bought property from the looted money. “Inderjit owns a house at Rama Mandi. He also has a 9-marla plot there and an 11-marla plot at Hazara, Amrik owns two plots (9 and 10 marlas) at Tarn Taran. We will attach these properties,” he said.

The burglars were involved in three ATM cases in 2013, 20 in 2014, two in 2015, eight in 2016 and one this year (at Sultanpur Lodhi). The police said the gang targeted 22 ATMs of Punjab National Bank, mostly unguarded and located in semi-rural areas.

Avoided use of mobile phones

• The gang had looted Rs 3.26 crore so far, including Rs 11.43 lakh from an Oriental Bank of Commerce ATM at Sultanpur Lodhi five days ago
• During a search, country-made pistols, cartridges and intoxicating pills were seized 
• The gang did not carry any mobile phone while committing the burglaries. They used two walkie-talkie sets, which have been recovered
• The police have recovered only Rs 10 lakh so far. Jalandhar Zone IG Arpit Shukla said the accused had bought property from the looted money