Police in Shahjahanpur have arrested three youths from Hardoi who were involved in a series of ATM thefts. The gang would switch off the ATM after completing a transaction and then lodge a complaint online, claiming that the money was not withdrawn due to a power cut. The money would be returned to their account within 24 hours of the complaint. The gang had also carried out similar incidents in Badaun, Bareilly, Pilibhit, and Hardoi. Four other associates of the gang are currently absconding, and the police are searching for them.
Gang Members and Recovered Items
The three youths arrested in Shahjahanpur have been identified as Pawan Kumar, Simra Chauraha, and Sachin Kumar, all residents of Hardoi. During the arrest, the police recovered nine debit cards from different banks, Rs 80,000 in cash, and three mobile phones from them. Pawan and Sachin are 12th class students in a college in Hardoi, while Jitin Mishra had left studies after intermediate. Each of the seven accused in the gang has admitted to having Rs 60,000 to 70,000 in their accounts. They used the stolen money to purchase expensive mobile phones. A mobile phone worth Rs 50,000 was recovered from Pawan, and a mobile phone worth Rs 20,000 was recovered from Sachin.
Gang Formation and Modus Operandi
The mastermind of the gang is Anoop Pal, who learned the technique of robbing ATMs by switching them off from a person in Delhi. He then shared this knowledge with other youths in his village and formed the gang. The gang members would open online accounts without the need for KYC and deposit some money into them. They would then withdraw Rs 10,000 at a time from the ATMs. The gang had targeted multiple banks, including Punjab and Sindh Bank. However, no complaints have been made by other banks so far.
Other Incidents and Absconding Associates
The gang had carried out similar incidents in Badaun, Bareilly, Pilibhit, and Hardoi. The police are currently searching for four other associates of the gang who managed to escape during the arrest. The mastermind, Anoop Pal, is among the absconding members. The police have identified the absconding associates as Vijay, Ram Khilavan, Anuj, and Anoop Pal, all residents of Todarpur Saidpur in Behta Gokul police station in Hardoi district.
Conclusion
The arrest of the three youths involved in the ATM thefts in Shahjahanpur sheds light on their modus operandi and the extent of their criminal activities. The police are actively searching for the absconding associates and are investigating further to ensure that all those involved in the gang are brought to justice