Gang breaks open three ATM kiosks in Thrissur, decamp with lakhs of rupees

Gang uses gas cutter to rob ATM kiosks along State Highway, stealing ₹65 lakh; police investigating.

n a major heist, a gang broke into three separate ATM kiosks of a nationalised bank along the State Highway in Thrissur district using gas cutter and decamped with lakhs of rupees during the early morning hours of Friday (September 27, 2024).

ATM kiosks at Shoranur Road, Mapranam and Kolazhy along the same route and spread across three police station limits – Irinjalakuda in Thrissur rural and Thrissur East and Viyyoor in Thrissur city – in a 20 kilometre radius were hit reportedly between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. As per reports — yet to be confirmed by the bank authorities — around ₹65 lakh has been lost collectively from the three ATM kiosks.

“Cameras in the ATM kiosks were damaged before the machines were broken into using gas cutter. We were alerted by the ATM central control room of the bank. We have some information about professional gangs known for this kind of operations and about the vehicle they used though more cannot be divulged at this point,” said R. Ilango, District Police Chief (Thrissur City) after visiting the ATM kiosk at Kolazhy.

The gang involved in the south-north direction, breaking into the ATM kiosk in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur rural police limits initially, followed by the other two at Mapranam and Kolazhy in Thrissur city police limits. The police have received CCTV visual of a white car suspected to have been used by the gang.

“We have passed on the information to Palakkad, Coimbatore, Krishnagiri and Salem where we have reports of similar thefts recently,” said Mr. Ilango. He declined to comment whether a gang from outside the State was involved.

Reportedly, none of the ATM kiosks had security and a break-in attempt was made at one of them some time back. The gang seems to have targeted ATM kiosks along the State Highway instead of more easily accessible National Highway in an attempt to avoid passing through at least two toll plazas in Thrissur and Palakkad districts.