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Unidentified miscreants used a JCB excavator to uproot and steal an ATM from BTM Square, under Jharsuguda Sadar police limits. The brazen act took place late last night, targeting a kiosk of the Central Bank of India.
ATM Uprooted and Stolen Using JCB
Sources cited eyewitnesses and preliminary reports suggesting that the group of men arrived at the location with a JCB and forcefully uprooted the ATM. Further, they then reportedly fled the scene with the entire machine, leaving behind a damaged kiosk.
Upon receiving the information, Jharsuguda Sadar police reached the spot and launched an investigation. Intenisfying the probe, police immediately launched a manhunt to track down the stolen ATM and identify those responsible.
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Police Achieve Swift Breakthrough
Along the lines, the police successfully recovered the stolen ATM along with the JCB used in the crime. However, the machine was reportedly in a mangled condition, and the cash present in it was missing.
Till the last reports came in, police had traced and detained the JCB owner, who is currently being questioned to determine any potential involvement or knowledge of the incident.
Recent incidents spark concerns
The case comes at a time when several ATM heists have been reported from various parts of the state. Notably, earlier this month, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commisionerate Police nabbed three members of an inter-state gang involved in ATMs in different parts of the country following a brief encounter.
The breakthrough had come amid rising instances of ATM robberies in the state capital as well as places like Boudh and Dhenkanal.
