Thieves grab RM160,000 from ATM while bank guard is in prayer

While a bank's security guard was praying at a nearby surau, four men wrenched one of four automated teller machines (ATM) from its premises here and escaped with RM160,000 in Jerteh early today.

The break-in which occurred at 5.45am was over in less than five minutes.

Initial police investigations revealed the masked thieves had used a cable to tie one of the four ATMs before wrenching it from its booth at the bank, using a car.

They prised open the ATM outside the bank.

State CID chief ACP Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Hamzah said the bank's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera recorded the theft.

"While the incident was taking place, the bank's security guard was praying at a surau outside the vicinity of the bank.

"The guard returned from prayer to find the bank's glass door shattered and a badly-damaged ATM outside the premises. He then called the bank authorities and the police," he said.

Wan Abdul Aziz said the police believed the theft was carried out by a group of criminals specialising in ATM break-ins.

He said this was the first case of an ATM break-in in Besut and a special unit had been set up by the Terengganu police to curb such crime.

He urged those with information on the incident to contact the Besut police headquarters at 09-6956222 or Jerteh police station at 09-6971222.