Rs19.9 lakh stolen in 15 ATM robberies in Ahmedabad last year

Though Tuesday's ATM robbery in Maninagar was the first of its kind in Ahmedabad, the city has, in the past year, seen 15 attempts to loot money from ATM booths. These machines have been tampered with, sawed open and like on Tuesday, been removed entirely. At one time, cash inside an ATM was burnt due to an 'unfortunate' short circuit.

If these incidences are tabulated, State Bank of India (SBI) ATMs emerge as the favourite 'hunting' grounds for robbers in the city. A total of Rs19.90 lakh was looted from these ATMs last year and a further Rs6 lakh was burnt due to short circuit in failed attempts.

Similar ATM robberies have been reported in Bharuch, Valsad, Vadodara and Gandhidham where over Rs60 lakh was lost to criminals. Cops suspect the hand of one interstate gang behind all these robberies.