Thane Crime: How 1 man robbed Rs 38 lakh from 5 ATMs with secret code

CCTV footage of Rakesh Pawar punching the code while an accomplice waits

Bank authorities in Dombivli and Diva were baffled last night, when over Rs 38 lakh in cash vanished from five ATMs, which had been refuelled only a few days ago. CCTV footage later revealed that a man, who had been tasked with the responsibility of depositing money in these machines, had taken off with the loot with the help of two friends.

The police are on the lookout for the accused identified as Rakesh Pawar, and jhis accomplices, Nayan Bhanushali and Jyotish Gupta. According to the police, 27-year-old Pawar works with a cash management and losgistic service firm, which holds the contract to deposit cash in ATMs in Dombivli and Diva. During the last one week, the company had assigned Pawar the responsibility of deposit cash every morning. A total of R40 lakh had been deposited in thes machines over the last five days, a police official said.

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CCTV footage of Rakesh Pawar punching the code into the machine and leaving, while his accomplice looks on

After finishing work on Tuesday evening, Pawar enlisted the help of the accomplices to empty out the ATMs. CCTV footage shows Pawar entering a code into the machine, which only employees of the firm are privy to, and withdrawing money before fleeing from the site. The trio attacked a total of five ATMs.

Rakesh Pawar

After bank authorities were alerted, the company registered a case with the Manpada police. "While examining the CCTV footage, we found the same person visiting each of the five ATMs after 9.30 pm. The company has identified the accused as their employee," said Bhalesh Salunkhe, sub-inspector from Manpada station.

Jyotish Gupta and Nayan Bhanushali

A case of theft has been registered against Pawar and his friends under Section 379.