A break-in attempt at an ATM in Chennai’s Thiruvanmiyur area was thwarted in the early hours of Monday due to an AI-driven surveillance alert and prompt police response. Three men from Uttar Pradesh were arrested at the scene before they could tamper with the machine or steal any cash.
The incident took place at a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM on Thiruvalluvar Salai at around 1:00 AM. According to officials, the suspects tried to deceive the surveillance system by covering it with a black cardboard sheet, hoping to obscure its artificial intelligence-based monitoring and access the cash chest, Times Of India reported.
However, the ATM was integrated with a centralised hardware monitoring system designed to detect suspicious activity. The moment the intrusion was detected, an automatic alert was sent to the Chennai City Police control room. A patrol unit was dispatched immediately to the location.
Robbers Caught In The Act
According to the TOI report, the officers arrived at the ATM site in time to catch the suspects red-handed. The arrested individuals were identified as Kuldeep Singh (26), Bridge Pan (30), and Smith Yadav (33), all migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh.
Police confirmed that the suspects had not yet succeeded in accessing the cash compartment or causing any damage to the ATM as they were taken into custody before they could do anything further.
Case Registered, Police Probe Underway
Initial investigations suggest that the accused had come prepared with a plan involving a distraction tactic. Law enforcement officials are now questioning the trio to determine whether they are part of a larger, organised interstate gang involved in similar ATM theft attempts.
The three are being held at a secure location, and efforts are ongoing to identify any possible accomplices. A case has been officially registered, and the suspects are likely to be soon produced before a magistrate court.