Madhya Pradesh: Cops intensify the search for the boy who stole Rs 10 lakh from cooperative bank in Neemuch

Two days after a 10-year-old boy stole Rs 10 lakh in less than 30 seconds from a cooperative bank in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, the police on Thursday said that they have beefed up security across the district and intensified their search for the boy involved in the theft.

Police Superintendent Manoj Rai told IANS that the search for the boy is still on. Many police teams have launched search operations across the district.

In a shocking bank theft incident, a minor boy aged between 10 to 12 year walked away with Rs 10 lakh cash from one Jawad situated bank on Tuesday. The incident took place in the peak hour saving him from all the bank staff and guard. The staffers appeared clueless when the matter came to fore.

As per the CCTV footage, the incident took place at around 11.15 am on Tuesday as a minor boy walked inside the cooperative bank and entered a cashier's cubicle without any problem. Customers who were standing in queue in front of the same counter had no idea about a theft was going on under their nose.

The boy was small enough to hide by the desk on the counter. He swiftly kept two bundles of Rs 500 currency into a bag and walked out unnoticed. To be mentioned, the bundles of currency in bank has 1000 notes per bundle.

He was in and out in less than 30 seconds. It's only when he started sprinting upon reaching the exit that the alarm was raised and a bank guard ran after him.

Based on CCTV footage, police confirmed that the boy ran towards Athana thorugh Rampura Dawarja.

During preliminary investigation, police through CCTV footage came to know about one 20-year-old person directing the boy, who himself remained inside the bank for around 30 minutes. As soon as he saw a cashier leaving his seat, he signalled the minor, who was standing outside. He came in, stole two bundles of Rs 500 notes kept on the counter and fled.

"The minor was short, so people standing in front of the cash counter couldn't see him stealing the money," Neemuch SP Manoj Rai said. Forensic experts have investigated the crime scene.