It has been revealed that the mastermind behind the recent ATM theft in Kurunegala Gettuwana junction is a prisoner who had escaped prison.
The suspect who had used a grinder to cut open the ATM machine which belonged to a state bank had taken Rs. 9 Million.
It was revealed that the suspect was earlier imprisoned for a similar theft in November 2021. He had robbed Rs. 7.6 Million from an ATM machine near Minneriya army camp.
The suspect, Vidusha Indrajith Adhikari, 30, is a resident of Eppawala. The suspect had joined a company which repairs ATM machines in order to carry out his plans. The suspect had robbed the ATM machine near the Minneriya Army camp in broad daylight where he had brought a generator in a lorry to get electricity to the grinder which he had used to cut open the ATM machine. He had also removed and taken the CCTV camera system of the ATM machine.
On October 04, 2021 Anuradhapura Crime Division arrested the suspect in Pallama Anuradhapura area. Following the arrest it was revealed that the suspect had planned to rob the ATM machine before the Anuradhapura hospital. The suspect cut open the ATM machine in Kurunegala Gattuwana junction at around 4 a.m. on February 4. He had brought the grinder and other equipment in a bus. He had obtained power to activate the grinder from the ATM machine’s room itself. The suspect had hung a board saying maintenance, so no one had found it suspicious of the grinder’s sound. The suspect has been at the ATM machine for about three and half hours. He had taken all the Rs. 5000, Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 notes while leaving the Rs. 100 notes. According to the police the Rs. 100 notes left behind were worth around Rs. 200,000. The suspect had worn a mask when robbing the AtM machine. He had removed the CCTV camera system installed along with the ATM machine. After robbing the ATM, he had cleaned the ATM room before leaving.
The suspect has used public transportation to carry the stolen money. The said ATM machine, which belonged to the Maliyadeva branch of the state bank, has been installed outside the bank. The bank manager of the said bank has lodged the complaint regarding the ATM machine.
The Police noted that the suspect has had a fair knowledge on the times when money is placed in the ATM machines.
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