Muzaffarpur/Patna: Thieves cut open an SBI ATM in the Kacchi Pakki area under Sadar police station in Muzaffarpur district early on Saturday morning, escaping with more than Rs 25 lakh in cash, police said.
The robbery took place around 3.30am when a group of criminals arrived at the ATM in a car and used a gas cutter to break open the machine. They reportedly removed the cash box and fled before local residents or police could intervene.
After cash reconciliation, Siddharth Kumar, a senior executive with CMS, the agency responsible for loading cash in the ATM, lodged a first information report alleging the theft of over Rs 25 lakh. The FIR names five unidentified people as accused.
Repeat target, unresolved cases
This is the second time the same ATM has been targeted. On the night of October 2, 2021, thieves stole Rs 25 lakh from the machine in a similar manner. CCTV footage from that incident was handed over to the police, but the investigation remains inconclusive.
Police records show a worrying pattern in the area. Over the past four years, six ATMs under the Sadar police station jurisdiction have been broken into, with total losses estimated at around Rs 1.5 crore. So far, no arrests have been made in any of the cases.
Police said they were examining CCTV footage from the latest incident and nearby locations, and efforts were under way to identify the vehicle used in the crime.
