Criminals looted Rs 4.22 lakh from a fuel station near Zero Mile in south Patna on Wednesday morning and escaped from the crime scene without being challenged.

No one has been arrested so far in the case.

The incident took place at 6.30am and the three criminals, who had come on a motorcycle, entered the cashier's room without resistance and snatched the money.

One of them called one Vikas, who is a staff of the fuel station, and entered the cashier's office as if they were looking for him.

There were four employees at the pump station and cashier Birendra Kumar was busy sorting the currency notes collected from night sale of fuel.

Vikas was not present at the time when the incident took place. Police, however, have detained him, as they suspect the role of a pump employee in the incident.

"Once in, one of the criminals fished out a country-made pistol and the cashier had no option but to give away the cash. The men then mounted on their bike again and fled. The police were informed later by the men at the pump," an officer at Ramkrishna Nagar police station said.

The official also rued the carelessness of the pump owner and said that he had ignored their directive of installing CCTV cameras.

"Had there been CCTV footage, things would have become easier for police to investigate," added the official.

The fuel station, Highway Services Petrol Pump, belongs to one Arun Kumar, a resident of Kankerbagh.

The police also quizzed him in connection with the loot to find clues.

"The fact that the door of the cash room was open raises some doubts. While counting so much cash, anyone will take the precaution to close the door. Then, the criminals had called Vikas, who is an employee at the pump. There seems to be a connivance and involvement of an insider and the police are probing this angle too. The owner has also been questioned in detail. There should have been CCTV cameras as the men were not wearing any masks. However, the police will come up with their sketches, if required. The necessary investigations are being made and arrests will take place soon. The police have got the list of all those who are working in the pump and will question each of them," the officer said.