PERNEM
ATM machines for dispensing cash and printing passbooks can be confusing not only to customers, but to burglars as well.
After a series of burglaries at ATMs in Dhargal and Agarwaddo in Pernem taluka, burglars targeted an ATM outlet of the State Bank of India at Parsem on Wednesday night, but ended up taking the wrong ATM. The stolen ATM which prints passbooks was later found abandoned in the nearby forest. According to Pernem Police, the incident came to light on Thursday morning when the branch manager, Priya Gawas, notified Pernem police and informed them that a passbook printing machine at the ATM outlet in Parsem was missing.
A Pernem police team went to the site and during a search, found the passbook printing ATM about 500 meters from the bank. According to police sources, the burglars may have been ignorant about the two types of ATMs and may have stolen the passbook printing ATM, after finding it lighter and easier to lift. The ATM machine which dispenses cash was found intact in the ATM outlet.
Despite the recent burglaries at ATMs in the taluka, the ATM at Parsem did not have a security guard and CCTV footage captured two burglars with their faces covered and wearing red tee-shirts and gloves.
Their actions of removing the passbook printing ATM was clearly recorded by CCTV cameras.
It may be recalled that some months ago, burglars had fled with an ATM machine containing cash of about Rs 18 lakh at Agarwaddo. Similarly, two ATMs of nationalised banks containing cash of about Rs 6 lakh were stolen at Dhargal.
A few days ago, the Dhargal Urban Co-operative society had also been targeted by the burglars.
