ATM cash van heist: Kerala to Goa how cops chased leads in five states
BENGALURU: Within 54 hours of the brazen cash robbery, three accused were identified and detained, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said here on Saturday. While Rs 5.76crore was recovered within 60 hours from the outskirts of the city, a bag containing Rs 53lakh was also seized from Hyderabad, Singh told a press conference. By the end of the first 24 hours, the accused persons and vehicles used in the heist had been identified through specific leads. One vehicle used in the crime was seized. As many as 200 police personnel, including 17 police inspectors, seven from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and two Assistant Commissioners of Police, were part of the operation. Deputy Commissioners of Police, along with Joint Commissioners, supervised the entire investigation. Technical and field leads were pursued across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Some teams also extended their search up to Goa, and more than 30 people have been questioned so far. CCTV footage, call detail records, vehicle movement patterns and local intelligence inputs were analysed continuously, the Commissioner added. DCP-South Lokesh B Jagalasar said three other accused in connection with the robbery were detained in Hyderabad. A bag of cash containing Rs 53 lakh was seized from them. Security lapses by CMS The probe into the Rs 7.11crore heist revealed that the Cash Management Services (CMS) firm had failed to follow key safety measures, and violated RBI guidelines. A senior police officer said that as per guidelines, cash-carrying vehicles should not use the same route or time repeatedly. Employees must be trained in cash handling, undergo proper background verification, and police should be informed if any custodial company employee is terminated. The GPS tracking system in the vehicle was also not functioning. There were lapses in staff deployment and security training, the officer added. Commissioner Singh told reporters, We have prepared a report on the violations committed by the company and will submit it to the authorities concerned. Daylight dacoit On November 19, a CMS Cash-In-Transit vehicle carrying Rs 7.11 crore was robbed. The gang, posing as RBI officers, claimed they wanted to inspect the vehicle. All four staffers inside the vehicle, except the driver, were asked to get down. They threatened the driver with a pistol, unloaded the cash boxes and stole the Digital Video Recorder. A case was registered at Siddapura police station.
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