Accused wanted in eight cases across Karnataka; 14 debit cards of different banks recovered

Bengaluru/Chikkaballapur: After a five-month chase, the Chikkaballapur Police have finally arrested a 32-year-old man from Mysuru, who stole the debit cards of senior citizens visiting ATMs on the pretext of helping them withdraw money.

The accused, identified as B.K. Kiran Kumar from Halenahalli in Mysuru, would also record the PIN number on his phone and would later use it to withdraw the money. He was involved in eight such cases across the State and was pinned down by Policemen in plain clothes on Monday, who kept a watch on the ATMs anticipating that he would visit again.

Initial investigation revealed that the accused used to travel to key towns where he would wait for senior citizens, who find it difficult to withdraw cash from isolated ATMs. Sensing that they need some help, Kiran Kumar, on the pretext of helping them, switched their ATM card. Later, he withdrew cash using the original ATM card of the victims.

Kiran Kumar had come to an ATM at Chamarajpet in Sidlaghatta, when the Police nabbed him. According to the Police, a detailed inquiry led him to confess, based on which the Police recovered 14 debit cards of different banks and Rs. 2.4 lakh in cash from him.

During investigation, the accused confessed to the crime and it was revealed that he would record the PIN number on his phone, using which he would later withdraw the money.

The accused, according to the Police, would target only senior citizens visiting ATMs and on the pretext of helping them withdraw cash, would record their PIN and replace their debit card with a similar dummy card.

After identifying his target, Kiran Kumar used to stand behind the senior citizen, while the elderly person attempted to withdraw cash. He used to watch the ATM PIN being entered. The accused, under the pretext of helping the senior citizen, takes his debit card and swaps it with the same bank’s discarded debit card.

As the senior citizen is unable to withdraw money, he leaves the kiosk, unaware that his debit card had been swapped by the accused. Only later, he realises that money has been withdrawn from his bank account.

Using a similar modus operandi, the accused cheated Reddappa, a elderly man from Sulikunte village, when he had visited an ATM on B.B. Road in Chikkaballapur.

Using the victim’s PIN and the debit card, the accused had withdrawn Rs. 1.6 lakh and had escaped. Based on a complaint, the Police stepped up vigil and deployed Policemen in plain clothes to look out for the suspect.