On Camera, ATM Dragged Out With Thar, Left Empty On Road Hours Later

A gang of thieves uprooted an ATM in Odisha's Balasore district, dragging it out with a rope tied to their Thar and made off with the cash inside, all within a matter of minutes. The early Saturday morning heist, which took place under the jurisdiction of the Khaira police station, was captured in full on CCTV.

According to preliminary information, more than five people arrived at the ATM kiosk in a black Thar around 2 am on Saturday. They first broke into the kiosk, uprooted the machine, tied it to their vehicle with a rope and dragged it along the road to a secluded location.

The thieves broke open the ATM machine at that spot, removed all the cash and fled, abandoning the damaged machine in the middle of the road. The exact amount of cash looted from the ATM is not yet known.

The CCTV footage offers a detailed account of how the robbery played out.

At 2:14 am, a dark SUV pulls up sharply in front of the kiosk. Several men then get out with a heavy rope, tying one end to the back of the SUV while taking the other end inside to hook onto the ATM machine. The vehicle accelerates forward, pulling the rope taut and ripping the machine clean out of the kiosk, sending debris and broken frame pieces flying into the street.

By 2:17 am, the gang jumps back into the SUV and speeds off.

Locals say there have been several incidents of theft and robbery in the region over the past few months, and residents have demanded increased police patrolling and stronger security measures.

Upon receiving information about the incident, Khaira police arrived at the scene and recovered the damaged ATM. Officers are examining CCTV footage and working to identify both the vehicle and the people involved.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.

(With inputs from Dev Kumar)