Unidentified persons on Sunday midnight (2.00 am of Monday) broke open the lockers at Sapthagiri Grameena Bank at Varadaiahapalem mandal headquarters in the district, and decamped with about 1.5 kg of gold and 13 kg of silver articles.
According to the police, the robbers ‘believed to be highly professional’ used gas-cutters to remove the windows at the rear of the strong room, and to open the lockers. As many as 14 individual lockers were broken, while the theft was reported from three units. The gang also indiscriminately tampered with many lockers, though they did not succeed in opening them.
As per the video footage inside the bank, the police had noted the time of offence. Special investigation teams were dispatched to track down the culprits. The heist was noticed this morning, when the watch and ward came to attend the duties. ‘The nature of crime is baffling,’ a police official said.
Senior police officials from Puttur, Satyavedu and Varadaiahpalem rushed to the spot. A case was registered.
