Driver, 2 Sons Arrested In Hyderabad ATM Theft, Rs 14 Lakh Recovered In 48 Hours

Hyderabad police cracked an ATM cash theft case within about 48 hours of the incident and arrested three accused, including a father and his two sons, while recovering most of the stolen money along with a two-wheeler and mobile phones.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 23, near an SBI ATM. A cash van had arrived to deposit money in the ATM, and Rs 17 lakh was kept inside the vehicle for loading work.

According to police, the driver of the cash van, Chirra Srinivas, planned the theft. 

While the cash loading staff and security personnel were inside the ATM kiosk, he took the cash bag from the vehicle and fled the spot. He then moved to a nearby lane where a motorcycle had already been arranged. His son, Chirra Anish, picked him up on the two-wheeler, and the two escaped.

After fleeing, the accused changed locations and attempted to hide the money. Later, a portion of the stolen cash was handed over to another son, Chirra Jaswanth.

Following a complaint by the cash custodian, investigation teams along with the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Charminar Zone, launched a search operation. 

Using CCTV footage from the ATM area and nearby roads, police identified the driver as the main accused and also established the involvement of his son, who had facilitated the escape on the bike. Technical analysis and field inputs helped track their movements.

Police first apprehended Chirra Srinivas and Chirra Anish. Based on their interrogation, the third accused, Chirra Jaswanth, was also arrested. In total, Rs 14,55,000 in cash, the motorcycle used in the crime, and four mobile phones were recovered.

"The accused planned the theft carefully, but our teams acted quickly using CCTV and technical evidence. The case was solved in a short time and most of the cash was recovered," DCP Charminar Zone Khare Kiran Prabhakar said.

Police said the case was cracked within about 48 hours of the incident. All three accused were produced before the court for judicial custody.