The police have set up a special team to investigate a RM76,000 break-in at a hypermarket in Plentong last night, involving an automated teller machine (ATM).

Johor police deputy chief Datuk Ismail Yatim said the team, among others, would determine if the break-in was executed by the same gang which had stolen from an ATM in a shopping mall here last month.

"However, in the first case, we discovered the robbers were using a grinding machine to break into the ATM but in last night's case, they used an oxy-acetylene torch," he said.

Ismail was speaking to reporters after a function at Legoland Malaysia in Nusajaya here today.

Last night, thieves took RM76,000 from the ATM, while in last month's break-in, RM68,000 were stolen.

Meanwhile, Ismail said 2,000 of the 19,336 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) registered with the Police Safecam Programme were connected directly to the Johor Control Centre and District Control Centre.

All CCTVs were in Johor Baharu, he said, adding that they were managed by Iskandar Region Development Authority, Iskandar Investment Bhd, UEM Land Bhd and IDR Resorts Sdn Bhd.