Patna, Dec. 21: Criminals broke into an ATM kiosk of Canara Bank in Fathua last night and decamped with Rs 7.3 lakh. The kiosk, which was shut, had neither closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras nor a security guard.

Sources said the criminals broke locks of five gates to reach their target.

The bank and the ATM kiosk are located in the same building. As downed shutters guarded the front of both the bank and the ATM kiosk, the thieves entered it by breaking the locks on the rear doors.

Once in the bank, they did not, however, target the locker or anything else.

Instead, they headed straight to the ATM kiosk, which was separated from the bank by three more locked doors. The thieves picked the locks of these doors as well.

Then, they broke down the ATM and escaped with the cash.

An officer at Fathua police station said: “There was money in the locker of the bank. But the thieves did not touch that or anything else. They headed straight to the ATM, broke it open and took all the cash inside.”

He added that it was obvious that the thieves wanted only the cash in the ATM and nothing else.

Another police officer said: “It seems they had specific information and laid out a good plan for the robbery. The criminals knew that there was a lot of money in the ATM. They also knew that the kiosk was unguarded and there was no camera in the kiosk or the bank. They were aware that no security guard would be present at the kiosk because it was a chilly night.”

He added: “The role of an insider in the bank cannot be ruled out. The criminals did not even try to open the bank locker. They did not touch anything else in the bank either.”

Senior police officers claimed that the absence ofCCTV camera, which is mandatory in any ATM kiosk, is a matter of concern.

“Neither the bank nor the ATM kiosk had a CCTV camera. This is a matter of concern,” said Fathua additional superintendent of police Jayant Kant.

He added: “At this moment, nothing much can be said. The matter is being investigated. A dog squad has been pressed into service to search for clues.”

Asked about the lapses in security, bank officials refused to comment.

Manager Ravindra Kumar Sinha said: “We came to know about the incident only in the morning. The police were informed immediately.”

Kant also said: “The incident is being investigated from all possible angles. The bank officials will also be thoroughly questioned in the case. The police will definitely make a breakthrough soon.”