Unidentified miscreants attempted to rob a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM kiosk on Barewal Road in the early hours of Sunday but fled empty-handed after the machine’s alarm system was triggered, police said on Monday.
According to police officials, the accused broke open the shutter of the ATM kiosk and entered the premises with the apparent intention of stealing cash. However, when the miscreant tried to cut open the ATM machine using a gas cutter, the built-in security siren was activated, forcing him to abandon the attempt and escape from the spot.
The incident came to light in the morning when locals noticed the damaged shutter of the kiosk and alerted the authorities. Subsequently, a complaint was lodged at the Sarabha Nagar police station by Sanjeev Kumar Verma, deputy manager at the SBI Treasury branch in Ghumar Mandi. In his complaint, Verma, a resident of Bajrang Vihar on Noorwala Road, stated that he received a call from the branch’s chief manager, Ashwani Mahajan, informing him about the attempted robbery at the SBI ATM kiosk located in Ashapuri on Barewal Road near a furniture store. The accused allegedly broke open the shutter between 2.30 am and 3 am and damaged the ATM machine while attempting to access the cash inside but failed.
Following the complaint, the police registered an FIR against unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 331(4), Section 305 and Section 62. Investigating officer ASI Rajinder Kumar said the robbery bid was foiled due to the ATM’s inbuilt security system. “As soon as the accused tried to cut open the machine with a gas cutter, the siren went off, prompting him to flee,” he said.
Police have sought CCTV footage from the ATM kiosk and nearby establishments to identify the accused.
