Patna: Unidentified criminals made a clean getaway with around Rs30 lakh after executing a daring heist at an unguarded SBI ATM near Dhibra More under Shahpur police station area of Danapur in Patna on Tuesday morning.Police said three masked men entered the ATM kiosk around 4am and first sprayed paint on CCTV cameras to disable them before turning their attention to the cash chamber. Armed with a gas cutter, the thieves cut open the safe compartment and fled with the cash within minutes.A short video clip of the entire operation has now surfaced online, clearly showing the trio wearing gloves and masks as they carried out the precision cut. The ATM’s internal camera captured the sequence in detail, providing crucial visual evidence to investigators.The SBI head office was immediately alerted after the machine detected tampering. Bank officials promptly informed the police at both Danapur and Shahpur. Officers from both police stations rushed to the spot along with their teams, but the thieves had already escaped just moments before their arrival.Senior officers, including City SP (West) Bhanu Pratap Singh and Danapur ASP Shivam Dhakad, reached the crime spot shortly afterward to oversee the probe. A Forensic Science Laboratory team also visited the location and collected vital evidence, including fingerprints and tool marks.The SP said, “The exact amount of theft will be ascertained once the bank registers an FIR and conducts a formal audit, but preliminary confirmation points to a loss of nearly Rs30 lakh.”A dedicated special investigation team has been constituted under the leadership of the SHO of Shahpur police station.City SP said police are now examining the footage, checking nearby CCTV cameras and pursuing technical leads to identify and nab the culprits. He added: “We have initiated a thorough investigation and the case will be solved soon.”
