Somangalam ATM Heist Suspects Flee to Telangana, Abandon Getaway Car

A gang suspected of looting approximately Rs 9 lakh from a private bank ATM near Somangalam early Tuesday fled across state borders and evaded capture at a Telangana toll gate later that evening. The suspects subsequently abandoned their getaway vehicle in a forested area and escaped on foot.

According to police, the gang broke into the automated teller machine using a welding machine during the early hours of Tuesday. Following the heist, the perpetrators made their escape in a black car.

During their getaway, the suspects allegedly removed the original registration plate of the car and replaced it with a number plate taken from another vehicle parked by the roadside to avoid detection.

Telangana police later spotted the suspect vehicle on Tuesday evening and attempted to intercept it at a toll gate. However, the occupants allegedly rammed through the toll barrier and sped away from the checkpoint.

The suspects eventually drove into a forested area, where they abandoned the car before fleeing. Special teams from the Tambaram City Police subsequently reached the location in Telangana and seized the abandoned vehicle.

Tambaram City Police have formed more than three special teams to track down and arrest the suspects currently on the run in Telangana. Investigators suspect the involvement of an inter-state gang in the burglary and are also verifying whether the car used in the operation had been stolen.