Rs 16 lakh stolen from ATMs in Koderma, Hazaribag

Criminals stole 16 lakh rupees from two SBI ATMs in Koderma and Hazaribag districts. The first robbery took place in Koderma early Wednesday morning. Four robbers, including a driver, used a gas cutter to steal 9.99 lakh rupees from an ATM in Dhab. They disabled CCTV cameras by spraying black paint to avoid being seen. The robbery happened around 1:01 am and took just 15 minutes. The ATM had been refilled just the day before. Half an hour later, the same gang struck again at another SBI ATM in Barsut, Hazaribag district. They stole 6 lakh rupees using the same method, covering the cameras with paint while cutting open the machine. An official from the private company managing the ATM said they had deposited 12 lakh rupees on Monday. The company alerted the police when the alarm went off, but the robbers escaped before the officers arrived. Police are investigating the incident and will file a report soon. The Barsut ATM has been targeted before, with previous thefts reported in July 2023 and an unsuccessful attempt in September.