The police investigating the theft of an SBI ATM in Maninagar were left stunned when the duo arrested in connection with the case told them what had inspired them to commit the crime.
The police investigating the theft of an SBI ATM in Maninagar were left stunned when the duo arrested in connection with the case told them what had inspired them to commit the crime.
Hardik Jinger and Kamlesh Patel alias Vicky told the police that it was a TV reportage about a similar crime that inspired them to steal an entire ATM. Interestingly, after the theft, the accused had no idea about the money inside the ATM. In fact, they realised that they had struck a bounty of Rs21 lakh only after reading the newspapers.
Police said Jinger and Patel told them that they had seen a television reproduction of a similar crime and that is when it struck them that they could replicate the same. The police said that so far they have zeroed in on seven accused in the case. Police said it was Jinger who executed the plan as he had to repay a loan of Rs7 lakh. "He had opened a call centre in Satellite and borrowed Rs7 lakh for the same," said police officials. They further added that once the seven people had stolen the ATM, they hid the same in Kamlesh's house.
The seven had several rounds of drinks before the act. "They then drove in a Gypsy to the ATM in Maninagar and proceeded to steal the entire ATM," said an official. As to why the thieves did not steal the second ATM in the place, the official said that as they were drunk they decided not to dither any further and escape with whatever they had got. "Moreover, the vehicle could not accommodate a second ATM as there were already seven of them in it," said the official. Officials said after the police raided Kamlesh's place to recover the ATM, he called up Hardik and the two then travelled to Mount Abu to escape the police net. But their mobiles were being tracked by the police. They decided to return when they were nabbed by the police.
In bid to escape, accused hurts self
While on his way back from Mt Abu, accused Hardik Jinger cut his own hand with a blade. Police officials said Jinger was sure that he was about to be caught and was so afraid of being beaten by the police that he injured himself with a blade. "He injured himself with a blade for fear of the police. Once arrested, he confessed to the crime," said SM Chaudhary, PI, Special Operations Group.
Future cop is present accused
Interestingly one of the accused had recently cleared the exams for recruitment as a constable in the state police. Police said Chirag Shrimali had cleared the exams to join the state police at the constabulary level but then took to crime in lure of the money.
Not a first-time offender
Hardik Patel has a case of extortion against him registered in June 2007. One Kunal Parmar had filed a complaint against Patel accusing him of trying to extort Rs16 lakh from him.
FB details didn’t help Maninagar PI
On one side, when Maninagar police inspector DM Chauhan, was busy inspecting details of the accused on Facebook, another police team from Special Operations Group (SOG) identified, cornered and arrested the accused. Chauhan, however, told DNA that he was surfing friends list of accused but was not able to find exact details.
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