Four arrested, Rs 5.76 cr recovered, says top cop
Bengaluru: The Bengaluru police have arrested four people so far and recovered Rs 5.76 crore in connection with the sensational Rs 7.11-crore ATM cash van heist that shocked the state, City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said on Saturday.
Addressing the media, Singh revealed that the high-profile robbery was executed by an eight-member gang that had been planning the operation for nearly three months. “So far, we have arrested three key accused and seized Rs 5.76 crore. The gang had eight members. We received the first reliable input almost 30 hours after the incident,” he said.
Singh said the robbers misled the police at the initial stage by ensuring that the first report reached them from DJ Halli. “The crime took place, but the information came one-and-a-half hours later. We immediately set up nakabandis across the city. The gang did not use mobile phones, avoided all CCTV zones, and even spoke in different languages to mislead anyone who might overhear them,” he added.
The commissioner said that a massive search operation was launched across five states after the robbery. “We formed 11 teams. Searches were conducted in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Goa,” Singh said.
He confirmed the arrest of three accused, including a police constable attached to Govindapura Police Station. Former CMS employee Xavier and another associate, Gopi, were also arrested. “Within the first 24 hours, we could identify the suspects and the vehicles used. That helped us track them quickly,” Singh said.
He explained that the criminals had used multiple vehicles, frequently changing number plates. “The gang used locations without CCTV coverage to hide vehicles. We have questioned over 30 people so far. Around 200 checkpoints were activated,” the commissioner said.
Three months of planning and careful execution
Singh detailed how meticulously the gang had prepared for the heist. “They planned this for three months and conducted reconnaissance for 15 days. They identified vulnerable routes and targeted areas without camera surveillance,” he explained.
One of the getaway vehicles, an Innova, was found abandoned in Chittoor. Large amounts of cash were recovered from the outskirts of Bengaluru. “We are still searching for the remaining accused and are confident of recovering the balance amount,” Singh said.
CMS company lapses contributed to heist
The commissioner pointed to serious lapses by CMS Security, the private agency responsible for transporting the ATM cash. “There have been violations of RBI guidelines. The vehicle in-charge himself was involved in the conspiracy. The driver was hired on an outsourced basis,” he said.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure that the offenders receive the strictest punishment. Senior officers from CCB, South Division, and two Joint Commissioners are supervising the probe,” Singh added.
The Rs 7.11-crore heist occurred on November 19 when the gang, masquerading as RBI officials, intercepted the cash van near Dairy Circle flyover, overpowered staff and fled with the cash boxes. The investigation continues.
