Man held for attempting ATM robbery in Erode

The Erode south police arrested a hotel employee on Sunday on charges of attempting to break open an ATM machine at Shastri Nagar in the city.

The accused, identified as Santhosh Kumar, 43, of Tiruchi district, was residing at Shastri Nagar while working at a local hotel. According to the police, he was found roaming in the area in an inebriated condition early Sunday morning.

The police said Santhosh Kumar suddenly entered the ATM of a private bank and attempted to force open the machine using a screwdriver. The suspicious activity was captured by the surveillance cameras installed inside the ATM centre.

Officials monitoring the footage immediately alerted the Erode South police, who caught the accused red-handed. He was taken to the police station for interrogation.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that two theft cases were pending against him in Tiruchi district. A case was registered and he was arrested.