GUWAHATI, Aug 21 � An incident of ATM theft and snatching of cash were reported in Guwahati in the last 24 hours sending the police department into a tizzy.
While in the first case, Rs 6.75 lakh was stolen from the Canara Bank ATM located in its Chandmari branch in the wee hours today, miscreants snatched away Rs 17 lakh from a person in Gotanagar area this afternoon.
Shockingly, in the ATM theft case, the miscreant, before taking away the cash from the ATM, took the key to an adjacent room where he put the server controlling all the four close circuit television cameras on off mode. The miscreant took the key from inside the ATM counter hiding himself with an umbrella.
�The cash was taken away without breaking the machine. The miscreants inserted the requisite password and opened the cash chamber from where the money is dispensed,� police said.
Interestingly, the on-duty private security guard was also not present and is believed to have left for his place before his duty hour was over.
Police said that the theft took place around 2 am as the miscreant did not force-break the ATM and even got hold of the key without any hassles indicates that he was in the know of the password and other related information.
Sources even stated that it is very unusual that the security guard too left for his home hours before the scheduled time. �Finger prints were collected from all the possible spots and the suspects, including the security guard are being questioned,� police said.
Investigators say that the involvement of even bank employees cannot be ruled out.
�It seems that the theft was well planned and co-ordinated,� sources added.
A few hours later, motor-cycle-borne miscreants today snatched Rs 17 lakh from the possession of a person near Gotanagar this afternoon.
Police said that the person was carrying the cash in a bag meant for making payment to the workers of two companies including Ashok Weaving Limited located in Paschim Boragaon.
The incident took place around 2.45 pm and it seems that the miscreants were following him. The person from whom the bag carrying cash was snatched also sustained injuries, police said.
