Hyderabad: Four individuals belonging to an attention diversion gang were arrested by Mehdipatnam police on Saturday, January 3, for allegedly stealing people’s ATM cards through deceit.
The accused have been identified as Aamir Suhel, 24, Mubarik, 26, Mustakeem, 25 and Md Amer, 33.
Police also seized Rs 52,000 cash, 89 ATM cards, three mobile phones and an auto rickshaw from them.
On December 31, an electrician from Asif Nagar had registered a police complaint stating that a few days ago, he had visited the SBI ATM at Mallepally X Road to check the balance in his mother’s account. However, the complainant was not familiar with the procedure and asked two bystanders for help.
He handed the ATM card to them and even disclosed the PIN. The complainant was informed of the balance, and each went on their way. However, the complainant later got an SMS alert saying Rs 40,000 had been withdrawn from the account. He also noticed that the card had been exchanged for a counterfeit.
On Saturday, police nabbed the accused from an ATM at Maruti Vilas, Vijay Nagar Colony, while they were trying to commit another offence.
The accused reportedly confessed to targeting illiterate and elderly by pretending to assist them.
Aamir Suhel and Mubarik are repeat offenders, while Suhel is involved in four cases at the Moinabad police station with two Non-Bailable Warrants against him. Mubarik had earlier been involved in an automobile theft case in Haryana.
Police have asked the public to remain cautious and not hand over ATM cards or PINs to unknown people.
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