NEW DELHI: An engineer and a BSc graduate were arrested on Sunday for allegedly stealing an ATM from a kiosk in Wazirabad, north Delhi, and making off with Rs 29.12 lakh on Feb 6. The duo transported the machine to a secluded area in Mewat, where they used gas cylinders to cut it open and access the cash. After splitting the money, they disposed of the ATM by throwing it into a well in Nuh and covering it with leaves and branches to hide it, police said.
The accused, identified as Nadeem (28) and Sameer (27), executed the heist at around 3.50 am on Thursday. The bank’s control room triggered an alert after detecting tampering with the ATM. When police arrived, they found the machine forcibly removed and the kiosk’s security camera disabled with black paint.
A senior police officer said the investigation quickly led to Nadeem and Sameer. “The accused persons were changing their location frequently and moving in the Nuh area,” police said. The search covered 15-20 villages in Nuh over three days before the suspects were tracked down in Nalhad village, Mewat. During a raid, they were apprehended after a brief scuffle with locals.
“The operation was conducted by a team led by additional CPs Sanjay Sain and Sanjay Bhatia,” said joint commissioner Surendra Singh.
The duo confessed to the crime and named four accomplices: Mubarik, Devid alias Billa, Rahul, and Imran. The six men arrived at the Wazirabad ATM in two vehicles, one of which was stolen. While Sameer stood as a lookout, the others used a car to uproot the ATM and transport it to Mewat, police said.
On Feb 6, the group gathered in Nuh, where they used gas cylinders to break open the ATM and extract approximately Rs 29 lakh. After dividing the cash, they disposed of the machine in a well in Jogipur village, Nuh, and covered it with branches. Nadeem, a BTech graduate, had a history of criminal activity and never pursued a legitimate career. Sameer, a BSc graduate, worked for two years at a cement company in Nuh before turning to crime.