Thieves decamp with ATM

• Last resort after vain bid to open it
• ATM has cash worth Rs 11 lakh

Srikakulam: Unidentified miscreants took away an entire ATM machine adjacent to the State Bank of India branch on the main road at Bathili in Kothuru mandal in Srikakulam district on Saturday night. It contained cash worth Rs 11 lakh.

According to police, the thieves tried to open the ATM machine and when they did not succeed, they took away the machine itself. They sprinkled mirchi powder, mixed with washing powder, in the room in an effort to destroy any evidence. They smeared the CCTV cameras with clay to block the cameras from capturing their images. They also cut the wires in the room.

Though there was a cash withdrawal machine and a deposit machine in the room, the thieves took away the withdrawal machine only. The thieves found their task easy as there was no security personnel at the ATM machine at the time of offence.

It is noteworthy that the thieves resorted to this act at a time when the Ganesh immersion was in progress in the area till late in the night and the officials and the people were also on alert following heavy rains.

Kothuru Circle Inspector Alia Babu said though there had been incidents of thefts at ATMs earlier, this was the first incident where the thieves took away an ATM machine itself. A case had been registered and investigation was on, he said.