How simple mistake helped Bengaluru police crack ₹7.11cr ATM heist
What's the story
Three people have been arrested in connection with the ₹7.11 crore daylight robbery from an ATM cash refill van in Bengaluru. The arrests include a police constable, a former employee at CMS Info System Limited (the company responsible for managing cash refill vans), and the vehicle's in-charge. The incident occurred around Tuesday noon, when criminals posing as RBI officials intercepted the van near Ashok Pillar-Jayanagar Dairy Circle. The gang held the crew at gunpoint, took the cash boxes, and fled.
Insider theory
Investigation reveals potential insider involvement
The investigation took a turn on Friday when investigators uncovered clues indicating a possible insider link, following which they detained the constable and the former CMS employee. The employee had recently resigned and was close to the constable, investigators said. One of the most important clues was mobile tower data from the robbery location. After analyzing the active mobile phones in the area, police learned that the constable and the employee had called each other multiple times during the heist.
Vehicle trace
Getaway vehicle discovered, arrests made
Further analysis of their call detail records showed regular communication in the days before the robbery. Police said the gang spent three months plotting the crime. They conducted continual reconnaissance of the cash van route to exploit CCTV blind spots along the corridor, and to avoid police tracking, they used various vehicles and changed registration plates on a regular basis. Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed that ₹5.76 crore of the looted money has been recovered.
Accused
All accused are from Bengaluru
"All the accused are from Bengaluru. We have called the heads of the CMS company to discuss...lapses," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told reporters. "The ex-employee had left the company about a year ago but was still in touch with people at the company. All three arrested accused and the others involved have had major roles," he added. Officers believe that six to eight people were involved in the operation, including logistical handlers, spotters, and money movers.