Bengaluru cash-van robbery case solved. Police arrested 3 accused and recovered Rs 5.76 crore in 60 hours. The criminals had committed the robbery of Rs 7.11 crore by posing as RBI officers.
Bengaluru: The police have swiftly solved the ATM cash-van robbery case that shook the capital Bengaluru and have so far recovered Rs 5.76 crore. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that the main accused have been arrested and the amount has been recovered within 60 hours of the incident. He said that it was a well-planned and information-based robbery and so far 3 main accused have been arrested. On November 19, at around 1:20 pm, a van carrying Rs 7.11 crore was seized by D.J. Some unknown people calling themselves RBI officers had stopped near Halli. A report was received of hijacking of a van carrying cash from CMS company. Subsequent investigation revealed that the incident took place around 12:48 pm at Ashok Pillar-Jayanagar-Dairy Circle.
The criminals stopped the van, threatened them with weapons, took out cash boxes and fled leaving the vehicle at 1:16 pm. A case of robbery was registered in this regard at Siddapur police station.
What were the challenges in the case
The robbery was completely planned and there were very few initial clues. The criminals stopped vehicles at many places where there were no CCTVs. Mobile phones were not used anywhere during the operation. Conversations were conducted in multiple languages to divert the investigation. Many vehicles were used and their number plates were changed repeatedly. It was difficult to identify the looted notes as there was no record of their serial numbers. Non-official media reports disrupted the sensitive stages of the initial investigation. Police said that despite all these challenges, the case was solved quickly due to technical analysis and combined efforts of the team.
How was the case investigated?
Taking the investigation forward in the case, the police investigated from many angles. Along with 11 PIs and 02 ACPs of South Division, 6 PIs of CCB Division worked under the guidance of senior officers.
Leads were also pursued in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (some teams even extended the investigation to Goa). More than 30 people were interrogated in the case. CCTV, vehicle movement and local intelligence were analyzed continuously. Within the first 24 hours, important clues were obtained about the accused and the vehicles used.
Big success of Bengaluru Police
Three accused were taken into custody within 54 hours of the incident. Rs 5.76 crore were recovered within 60 hours. A vehicle used in the crime has also been seized. Police said that a gang of 6-8 people from Bengaluru is involved in this incident.