Smart ATM thieves take almost R1m

A GANG of sophisticated thieves made off with almost R1-million after they broke into a First National Bank automated teller machine at the Amalinda Main Road shopping complex in East London.

The thieves punched in a safely guarded pin code and walked away with the loot without being picked up by cameras in a suspected inside job yesterday.

Once the suspected gang were inside the room, they opened a safe using a secret pin combination only known by bank management and cash-in-transit security guards.

They sabotaged CCTV cameras by spraying them with a dark substance.

The sophisticated theft was only noticed around midday yesterday when security guards responded to a “technical fault” at the ATM.

Last night FNB spokeswoman LeeAnne van Zyl said: “FNB can confirm that one of its ATMs in Amalinda, East London, was tampered with.

“The matter has been reported to the relevant law enforcement agencies and FNB is cooperating with the police regarding the incident.

“Any further queries must be directed to the police.”

While FNB and Cambridge police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi could not say how much had been stolen, police sources at the scene said it was almost R1-million.

Mbi said they were following strong leads.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that this may be an inside job but that will also form part of the investigation. We will broaden the investigation and we will leave no stone unturned,” he said.

“The cash-in-transit security guards alerted the police after opening the vault and discovering that it had been ransacked.”

Police are requesting anyone with information to contact the SAPS Cambridge detectives on (043) 7097502 or 08600-10111. —