PONDA: Thieves have kept the Ponda Police on their toes after four theft cases were reported in the area within 24 hours. While two ATM machines were stolen at Mardol, the Mahaganapanti temple too was not spared. Two bike-borne thieves also snatched a woman’s gold chain at Curti while a shopkeeper sustained injuries after he was attacked by thieves when he valiantly tried to confront burglars at his shop at midnight at Mardol.
Police say that gold and silver ornaments besides cash all worth around Rs 10 lakh were stolen from the Mahaganapati Temple at Khandola, and Rs 13.40 lakh was taken away from the ATM of the HDFC Bank while the woman’s gold chain was valued at Rs 70,000.
Ponda Police stated that two bank managers from Usgao complained that their ATMs were stolen at midnight.
Police investigation revealed that the security guards were threatened by burglars and the ATMs were taken away.
They later carried the machines to a distant place and managed to break open the ATM of HDFC Bank and fled with Rs 13.40 lakh. They were however unsuccessful when it came to the ATM of Canara Bank.
Later, both ATMs were dumped by the roadside at Usgao–Dharbandora bypass and they disappeared.
It is learnt that the ATM of Canara Bank was also having cash of around Rs 14 lakh. The CCTV footage revealed that there were four accused involved in the theft of ATMs including a woman. Police also found a stolen Omni Car from Margao, which they had abandoned at Usgao.
