Mumbai: Vasai woman locks robber inside ATM who was trying to loot

Salim Mansoori, the thief; the broken ATM machine at Fatherwadi, Vasai East. Pics/Hanif Patel

A Vasai woman was the talk of the town on Thursday for her bravery in foiling a robbery bid at an ATM booth. Late on Wednesday night, while the thief inside was trying to break the machine, the daring 45-year-old woman locked the shutter from the outside and got him arrested.

Sources said the thief, now identified as Salim Mansoori, entered the Bank of India's ATM booth at Fatherwadi, Vasai East, around 2.30 am, downed the shutter and started breaking the machine.

The sound of constant hammering woke up Sulbha Tai Pawar, whose house is attached to the ATM booth.

Sulbha Pawar

Intrigued, she came out to see what was happening but didn't find anyone. "I looked around and noticed that the shutter of the ATM booth was closed. Suspicious, I went closer and tried listening in and heard the sound of hammering. I ran back to my house, picked up a lock and rushed outside and locked up the shutters," Pawar said.

"My daughter tried to stop me as she was scared for my safety. But I dared to go out alone as no one else was there," she added. Pawar came home and called up a neighbour, Khalid Shaikh, and informed him about the incident. He rushed there with a few friends and relatives and alerted the police, she said.

Officers from Waliv police station arrived immediately, unlocked the booth and arrested Mansoori. They recovered a huge hammer and other tools, she said.

Mansoori was able to break open half of the machine, but the cash was completely safe, Pawar said.

Senior Inspector V Chougle said Mansoori, 25, a resident of Borivli, has a record of theft, and that they are investigating if he has any partners.