Police seize ATM cash van after gang flees with ₹7 crore; vehicle kept at Siddapura station in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH photo
The robbery of Rs 7.11 crore from a cash van in Bengaluru in broad daylight has sent shockwaves across the IT capital.
Planned to a tee, this is one of the biggest heists the city has ever witnessed, with the investigations discovering new details at every step.
The man-hunt for the six accused is underway, with police leaving no stone unturned.
Here is how the heist unfolded.
Prelude to the robbery
On a busy Wednesday afternoon, a CMS Info System cash van was travelling towards Lalbagh's Siddapura Gate after collecting cash from HDFC Bank's JP Nagar branch.
Between 12:30- 1:00 pm, a gang arrived in a Grey Metallic Toyota Innova and intercepted the vehicle at Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar.
6 men got out of the Innova and introduced themselves as RBI officials and stated they had been directed to inspect the vehicle.
The four people sitting inside the van—driver Binod Kumar, cash custodian Aftab and armed guards Rajanna and Thammaiah were asked to show documents for transporting such a large amount of cash.
After inspecting the vehicle, the 6-member gang asked everyone barring the van driver to get in the Innova as they would be taken to the police.
The cash custodian and armed guards obliged while the driver was instructed to proceed alone to the Dairy Circle flyover — over 5 km away — and wait for them.
The execution
Somewhere before reaching the flyover, the gang abruptly de-boarded the three van crew members and rushed towards the driver.
After catching up to the van, they stopped the vehicle and threatened the driver at gunpoint. The gang then proceeded to transfer the cash boxes into Innova and drove off.
Details of the car
The Grey Metallic Toyota Innova bore a registration number of KA 03 NC8052. However, the registration belonged to Maruti Suzuki Swift VDI.
Moreover, the Innova also had the 'Govt of India' tag embossed on its rear window in red bold capital letters.
Investigations also indicate that that robbers must have changed vehicles after the heist.
Police suspect at least two other vehicles — a Maruti Suzuki Zen and a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R — were used in the "well-planned" heist.
While briefing the media, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, "It is yet to be clear which vehicle was used by them during the escape."
The suspects were last seen crossing the Hosakote toll. CCTV footage also shows Innova heading towards Electronic City/Hosur.
Innova recovered
The Innova has reportedly been recovered by investigators in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, where police suspect the robbers went immediately following the heist.
While checking the car, police have learnt that they switched the plates to a UP registration from Karnataka registration soon after they fled.
Police strongly suspect that the robbers are holed up in Andhra Pradesh itself.
Swift car owner traced
The police has traced the owner of Maruti Suzuki Swift VDI whose registration numbers were misused in the robbery.
78-year-old P B Gangadhar was asked to show his car documents by the cops. He said that he had stopped driving owing to health issues.
Van crew detained
The police seemed perplexed as to why the van crew members, especially the armed, so easily obliged to the robbers' instructions. According to them even the van driver was giving unconvincing answers.
Police have detained all four crew members for questioning.
Connecting the dots— investigation underway
During the investigation, police discovered that 2 days before the heist, 2 members of the gang recced the same area in JP Nagar where the van left after getting loaded with cash.
CCTV footage analysed by the police showed the probable suspects entering a bar around 1.28 pm and leaving exactly after 10 minutes.