In a daring heist, a gang has used gas cutters to steal an entire ATM, containing cash worth lakhs, in an Uttarakhand town. A video shows the men taking turns running from the kiosk to their SUV and placing parts of the automated teller machine inside before driving away.
"A gang of four to five people used gas cutters to steal a State Bank of India ATM in Dandhera in Haridwar district. The ATM contained cash worth lakhs of rupees but the exact amount will be known from the bank. We are checking CCTV footage. The thieves used a Scorpio to flee," said Haridwar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Swapn Kishore Singh.
CCTV footage shows three men wearing shawls and face coverings in an apparent bid to hide their identity. One man runs to the SUV with a part of the machine, and he is quickly followed by another, who ends up dropping his shawl on the footpath while running. One of his other accomplices picks up the shawl while the third man puts another part of the machine in the boot.
The first man gestures to the third, who returns to the kiosk and then all three bundle into the car, which is quickly driven away.
Mr Singh said the police are carrying out their investigation and are trying to apprehend the thieves at the earliest.