MAPUSA
A security guard caught a fraudster while allegedly attempting to steal cash from customers at an ATM lobby of a nationalist bank in Mapusa, while his accomplice managed to escape from the site.
Mapusa police later arrested Rajesh Behra, a native of Odisha who was residing in Mumbai.
According to police reports, the incident involving the fraudsters had come to light between February 1-3, after customers had intimated bank staff and the branch manager had filed a police complaint in the matter.
The incident was captured on CCTV footage and the bank had alerted the security guards to keep vigil.
On Friday, a customer was depositing his amount in the ATM machine when two persons were seen trying to help him. When the security guard identified the suspects from the CCTV footage, he grabbed him, but the accomplice managed to escape.
The bank officials informed the Mapusa police about the incident and handed over the suspect to them.
According to sources, the accused are alleged to have stolen cash from a customer for the first time at the ATM lobby on December 31.
The accused would identify a senior citizen visiting the ATM lobby to deposit cash and would stand by the side of the counter by pretending to offer assistance.
When the money was deposited into the ATM, the accused would distract the customer at the time of pressing the accept button. While the customer would leave the ATM assuming that the cash had been deposited, the accused would press the reject button and get the money back.
The police arrested Behra under Section 380 IPC and also seized Rs 3000 in cash which was allegedly stolen from the customer. The police is on the lookout for the other accused.
