Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 24: Thanks to his ingenious ways, a conman was arrested for stealing money using the passwords of strangers at ATM kiosks across the city.
The miscreant was identified as Madhav Acharya of Kendrapada.
Madhav and his associates, according to reliable sources, used to wait for elderly men and women mostly at State Bank of India ATM kiosks.
Briefing newsmen about the modus operandi of a gang, twin city police commissioner Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said Madhav, a resident of Salia Sahi and his associates, used to remain inside ATM kiosks when a person is withdrawing cash.
“Madhav and his associates used to stand behind the customers, mostly elderly and women, and observe their finger movements and mark their passwords. The miscreants cunningly used to press the cancel button and convince the customers that the ATM is dysfunctional. When the customers leave the kiosks in disgust, they used to immediately key in the password and withdraw money,” he added.
“Madhav who owns two air-conditioned buses, a car and other assets used to make money from ATM kiosks. Madhav and his associates have criminal antecedents and cases against them have been registered at Khandagiri police station, Sahid Nagar police station, Balianta police station and Kendrapada police station. We have launched a search operation to nab Madhav’s associates,” the police said and advised all citizens not to make any ATM transaction when somebody is standing behind them.
Khandagiri police added they have recovered a Hyundai i20 car (OD-02-AC-1936) and two A/C buses (OR-02-AQ-0877 and OR-05-D-1747) from Madhav’s possession.
“The miscreants used a tin plate of the size of an ATM card to open the doors of ATM kiosks if they were locked. They used to target SBI kiosks since there are invariably no guards,” the police said.
Meanwhile, a case (321/16) was registered in this regard, on the basis of a complaint of theft lodged by Ullash Chandra Mohanty of Baramunda, and Madhav was produced in a court Friday.