The Kadapa police on Sunday solved an ATM theft case within hours by arresting one Chennuru Mahaboob Basha, who reportedly hatched a plan to steal the cash meant to be installed in ATM machines.
Police have launched a search for his accomplice, Shaik Umar Farooq.
On Sunday morning, the cash custodian of a private agency was travelling with ₹70 lakh cash in a fortified vehicle to be replenished in the ATM machines of State Bank of India at Seven Roads Junction and other banks.
When he returned after filling cash in an ATM, he found the vehicle missing. He rushed to the police station and lodged a complaint against vehicle driver Shaik Umar Farooq.
Superintendent of Police K.K.N. Anburajan immediately formed special teams that launched an investigation. After screening through the CCTV footage, they found the vehicle deserted near a garage.
It was found that Mahaboob Basha had engaged his friend Farooq, both from Kadapa, as the driver with a mala fide intention of stealing the cash. Based on call records of Farooq, the police identified him to be moving towards Bengaluru, and also traced Mahaboob Basha.
The police immediately alerted the toll gate staff at Bagepalli on Karnataka border, who stood guard at the spot. Farooq saw the staff at the toll gate from a distance, parked the car on the roadside and fled with a small portion of the cash.
Kadapa police rushed to the spot and recovered ₹53.5 lakh and the vehicle.
