Suspect Arrested For ATM Battery Thefts; 11 Batteries Recovered Worth ₹3 Lakh In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Habibganj police on Friday arrested a man for allegedly stealing batteries from ATM machines across several parts of the city and recovered 11 stolen batteries worth Rs 3 lakh from his possession.

The case came to light after Ravindra Kumar Verma, senior manager of Punjab National Bank Shahpura branch, lodged a complaint regarding the theft of 16 batteries from an ATM installed on the bank premises. The theft reportedly took place between May 8 and May 10.

Habibganj police station incharge Sanjeev Chouksey said that a special investigation team was formed after the complaint was registered. Police examined CCTV footage from the crime scene and nearby areas while also activating local informants to trace the suspect.

Chouksey further said that based on a tip-off, police located and arrested 37-year-old Sarim Khan, a resident of Putlighar, Teela Jamalpura from Kohefiza.

During interrogation, Khan allegedly confessed to carrying out around 19 ATM battery thefts in multiple police station areas of Bhopal including Habibganj, Chunabhatti, Piplani, Kolar, Govindpura, TT Nagar, Shahpura, Kamla Nagar and Ashoka Garden. Further investigation is underway to identify his involvement in other theft cases across the city.