Key Points
- Five masked robbers looted 58 kg of gold and approximately ₹8 crore in cash from an SBI branch in Chadchan, Vijayapura district, Karnataka.
- The total value of the stolen items is estimated to be over ₹60 crore.
- The robbers, dressed in military-style uniforms, took bank staff hostage at gunpoint before breaking into the safe.
- The getaway car has been recovered in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, triggering a massive joint police search operation.
Bengaluru: A sensational robbery took place at the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Chadchan town, Karnataka, on Tuesday evening, where a gang of five robbers made off with a massive haul of gold and cash. Dressed in military-style uniforms and armed with country-made pistols, the masked assailants stormed the bank around 5 p.m., taking the staff hostage and looting 58 kg of gold and about ₹8 crore in cash. The total value of the stolen assets is estimated to exceed ₹60 crore.
According to police, the robbers swiftly overpowered the bank employees, including the manager and cashier, preventing them from activating the alarm. After tying up the staff with ropes, they broke into the bank’s safe, loaded the cash and gold, and fled in a white car. Senior police officials, including Vijayapura SP Laxman Nimbargi, rushed to the scene as a large crowd gathered, raising questions about the bank’s security measures.
Major Breakthrough in Manhunt
A significant lead emerged on Wednesday morning when the robbers’ getaway car was found abandoned in Pandharpur, located in Maharashtra’s Solapur district. While the vehicle was empty of the stolen loot, police discovered items like ropes and masks inside, confirming its connection to the heist. “On tracing the car number, it was confirmed that this is the same vehicle,” a Karnataka police official stated. “We believe the robbers abandoned the car and fled by other means.”
This discovery has prompted a massive joint search operation involving both Karnataka and Maharashtra police forces. Raids are being conducted in Pandharpur, Solapur, and surrounding border areas. Police have deployed dog squads and forensic teams to gather further evidence from the recovered vehicle.
Organized Gang Suspected
Investigators believe the heist was the work of a well-organized gang that exploited security weaknesses at the branch. The incident draws parallels to other recent bank robberies in Karnataka, including a case a few months ago where 17 kg of gold was stolen from an SBI branch in Davanagere, a crime reportedly inspired by the popular series “Money Heist.”
Bank officials have confirmed that the stolen gold consisted of jewelry pledged by customers, and the cash was from the bank’s daily transactions. Police are currently examining CCTV footage from the bank and surrounding areas, and an alert has been issued to neighboring districts to track the suspects.
