Bengaluru [Karnataka], November 22 : The Bengaluru City Police on Saturday stated that it had a significant breakthrough in the daylight robbery case from an ATM cash van, recovering Rs 5.76 crore out of the total Rs 7.11 crore of the total amount stolen and arresting three key accused who were part of the heist.
According to a press release issued by the Office of the Bengaluru City Commissioner of Police, the incident took place on Wednesday, November 19, when it was reported that a currency-chest van carrying Rs 7.11 crore was allegedly intercepted near the city's DJ Halli area by individuals posing as RBI regulatory officers at 1:20 PM.
Subsequent investigation established that the crime had actually occurred earlier, at around 12:48 PM, along the Ashoka Pillar-Jayanagar-Dairy Circle route, with the gang forcibly taking control of the cash boxes, abandoning the vehicle by 1:16 PM, and escaping from the area.
A case of dacoity involving the use of firearms was later registered at the Siddapura Police Station.
The press release noted that the crime was executed with exceptional precision. The perpetrators deliberately halted in CCTV shadow zones, avoided mobile phones entirely during the operation, used multiple languages to mislead potential surveillance, and rotated between several vehicles with changed number plates.
The un-serialised nature of the stolen currency further complicated early tracking efforts. The statement also noted that premature and unofficial media reports in the initial hours posed additional challenges for investigators.
Despite these, the police launched a massive multi-state investigation involving officers from the South Division and the Central Crime Branch. Technical surveillance, analysis of vehicle movement patterns, and coordinated intelligence gathering extended across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, with some teams even stretching their search into Goa. Over 30 individuals were questioned as part of the probe, and within the first 24 hours, investigators identified the accused and the vehicles used in the operation.
By the 54-hour mark, three suspects had been detained, and by the 60th hour, a substantial Rs 5.76 crore had been recovered, along with one of the vehicles used in the heist.
According to the police, the gang comprises six to eight members involved at different stages of planning, execution, and post-crime logistics.
The Bengaluru City Police hailed the case detection as a demonstration of coordinated teamwork, rapid technical analysis, and efficient on-ground execution. Further investigation is underway to identify the remaining suspects and recover the remaining stolen cash.