The gang allegedly managed to steal Rs 29 lakh in Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad police has busted a gang of thieves which allegedly stole lakhs from ATMs, the high-tech way.
The seven-member Mumbai-based gang had allegedly been siphoning off money by stealing information about PIN numbers and card numbers of people visiting the ATMs.
The gang allegedly managed to fix a plastic panel over the card inserting slot in ATM machines in such a way that it would seem the customer was inserting the card in a real slot.
The fake card slot panel would then be attached to a small memory card and battery. The chip would transfer all the information of the ATM card. The panel was also connected to a camera placed on the ceiling of the ATM machine strategically so that it would directly face the keypad. When the customer punched in the PIN number, the camera would record the PIN numbers and store it in the 16 GB memory card.
While one member of the gang would allegedly fix the panels inside, the other would stand guard outside. After 4-5 hours, the gang would allegedly remove the fake panels. They allegedly then used the information stored in the chip and the hidden camera to withdraw cash by creating fake ATM cards in Goa.
Venkateshwara Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Hyderabad's West Zone, said there were nearly 101 such cases across the country.
Nearly Rs 29 lakh was stolen by the gang in Hyderabad alone, he added.
"The gang targeted ATMs which didn't have a watchman or proper security. We were informed by our sources about such incidents and with the help of CCTV footage, we could nab them," said Mr Rao.
While two members of the gang have been arrested, the Hyderabad police have shared information with their counterparts in Mumbai and Pune to nab the other members.