Masked Man Cuts Open ATM Cash Box, Flees With Rs 9 Lakh Near Pudupedu

An unidentified man looted Rs 9 lakh from a private bank ATM near Pudupedu village on the Sriperumbudur-Kundrathur Road in the early hours of Tuesday. The burglary took place around 2 am within the jurisdiction of the Somangalam police.

The suspect, who had covered his face with a checked shawl, allegedly used a welding machine to cut open the cash compartment of the machine before fleeing with the cash.

According to the police, the ATM kiosk did not have a security guard. Its CCTV cameras were linked to the bank's central control room in Mumbai. When the machine was being tampered with, an alarm was triggered, prompting the control room to alert the Tamil Nadu police.

However, police personnel on night patrol were initially not provided the exact location of the ATM. Officers checked several ATMs across the area before locating the kiosk at Pudupedu, by which time the intruder had already escaped.

Investigators suspect that the man sprayed a chemical onto the CCTV camera to prevent the act from being recorded clearly. Footage retrieved from the bank's central server is currently being examined. While only one person was visible inside the kiosk, police are investigating whether accomplices were waiting outside.

Police are also scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify any vehicle used during the heist. Forensic experts have gathered evidence from the scene.

A case has been registered, and two special teams of the Tambaram City Police Commissionerate have been formed to track down the suspect.