Hyderabad:
Police have cracked a meticulously planned ATM heist involving stolen vehicles, gas-cutting equipment, and disabled CCTV cameras in a multi-state chase and arrest of an alleged interstate criminal from Rajasthan with a history of dozens of cases.
The accused, Rashid, alias Kaku, alias Yousuf, alias Kakoo, 34, was arrested near Gollapally X Roads in Shamshabad in connection with the October 6 robbery at an Axis Bank ATM in Satamrai, while his four alleged associates, identified as Sohail, Faizan alias Ayaan, Rehan alias Jingi and Shamshuddin, remain on the run.
The breakthrough cane after a joint operation involving the Shamshabad Zone Task Force of Hyderabad and Rajasthan Police.
Investigation has revealed that Rashid and an associate allegedly brought gas-cutting equipment and spray paint to Hyderabad nearly a month before the robbery and hid the material in bushes in the Pahadishareef area.
''The gang returned later, stole a Pulsar motorcycle and a Hyundai Santro car, and headed towards the Axis Bank ATM at Satamrai. On October 6, the suspects sprayed paint over CCTV cameras, disabled the alarm system and cut open the ATM using a gas cutter. They removed the cash trays and escaped with cash,'' Shamshabad DCP B Rajesh said.
After the robbery, the suspects allegedly abandoned the car near Patancheru at the outskirts of Hyderabad and travelled through Zaheerabad and entered Maharashtra's Nanded, Amravati and Akola and reached Indore in Madhya Pradesh before reaching Rajasthan.
Police used technical analysis and call detail records to trace Rashid to Gollapally.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed details of the robbery and said he received Rs 90,000 as his share, of which Rs 85,500 had reportedly been spent.
Police records show that Rashid has 46 previous criminal cases registered across Haryana and Delhi, including jurisdictions such as Gurugram, Faridabad and Rewari. He is also allegedly linked to three cases in Hyderabad, including the Shamshabad ATM theft and vehicle theft cases in Pahadishareef and Saidabad.
Meanwhile, police teams are continuing efforts to arrest the four absconding suspects while further investigation is on.
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