ATM looted in Telangana's Kamareddy by thieves disguised in ambulance, nighties
Synopsis
Thieves dressed in nighties and masks pulled up to an SBI ATM in Telangana's Kamareddy district in an ambulance, cut it open with gas cutters, and fled with cash — marking at least the third ATM heist in the state within a month and raising the spectre of an organised gang operating across districts.
Key Takeaways
Unidentified burglars looted an SBI ATM in Gandhari village, Kamareddy district, Telangana between 1 am and 1.30 am on Sunday, 12 October 2025 .
The suspects arrived in an ambulance , wore nighties, masks, caps, and gloves, and used gas cutters to break open the machine.
The exact amount stolen is unconfirmed ; police are verifying the ATM's pre-theft cash balance.
Police have not ruled out female involvement , citing a woman's role in the recent Karimnagar ATM theft.
Last month, two SBI ATMs in Karimnagar were similarly looted on 19 September ; one gang member stole ₹8 lakh using gas cutters after spraying CCTV cameras.
No arrests have been made; investigators are examining CCTV footage and ambulance records.
Unidentified burglars disguised in nighties, masks, caps, and gloves arrived at a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM in Gandhari village, Kamareddy district, Telangana, in an ambulance and made off with cash in the early hours of Sunday, 12 October 2025. The brazen heist, carried out between 1 am and 1.30 am, was captured on the ATM's CCTV camera and came to light on Monday morning when locals spotted the damaged machine and alerted authorities.
How the Heist Unfolded
According to police, the suspects pulled up to the ATM in an ambulance — a vehicle likely chosen to avoid suspicion during late-night movement. Once at the site, the group used gas cutters to break open the SBI machine, extracted the cash, and fled. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators clearly shows the offenders wearing masks, caps, and gloves throughout the operation.
The suspects appear to be men, though police have not ruled out female involvement. This caution stems from the Karimnagar district ATM theft last month, where a woman was confirmed to have participated. Investigators say they are analysing CCTV footage from multiple vantage points to reconstruct the suspects' movements before and after the robbery.
Key Details Still Under Verification
The exact amount of cash stolen remains unconfirmed, as authorities need to verify the ATM's pre-theft cash balance to establish the total loss. Police have registered a case, collected physical evidence with the help of a clues team, and are actively probing whether the ambulance used was genuine or a prop deployed purely for disguise.
A Worrying Pattern in Telangana
This is at least the third significant ATM burglary in Telangana within a month. On 19 September, burglars targeted two SBI ATMs in Karimnagar town — one in Durshed under Karimnagar Rural Police Station limits, and another in Thimmapur under LMD Police Station limits — using gas cutters in both cases. At the Durshed ATM, the thieves reportedly sprayed a liquid on CCTV cameras before acting. Two accused — including a woman — arrived at that site in a car wearing caps, spectacles, gloves, and masks, and escaped with ₹8 lakh.
The Gandhari incident follows the same operational pattern: disguise, gas cutters, and a getaway vehicle chosen for legitimacy. The use of an ambulance marks a notable escalation in the sophistication of cover used.
What Investigators Are Doing Next
Telangana police are cross-referencing CCTV feeds from Kamareddy with those from the earlier Karimnagar thefts to determine whether the same gang is responsible. Investigators are also checking ambulance registrations in surrounding districts. No arrests have been made so far in connection with the Kamareddy robbery.
Point of View
Each with elaborate disguises — point to an organised gang rather than opportunistic crime. What is striking is the operational upgrade: the Kamareddy group used an ambulance, a vehicle that commands right of way and avoids suspicion at odd hours. Police have CCTV evidence from multiple incidents but no arrests yet, which raises questions about inter-district coordination between police stations. If the same gang is responsible, the window to break the pattern with intelligence-led action is narrowing.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the SBI ATM in Kamareddy, Telangana?
Unidentified thieves, dressed in nighties, masks, caps, and gloves, arrived at an SBI ATM in Gandhari village, Kamareddy district, in an ambulance between 1 am and 1.30 am on Sunday, 12 October 2025. They used gas cutters to break open the machine and fled with cash; the exact amount stolen is yet to be confirmed.
Why did the thieves use an ambulance?
Police are investigating whether the ambulance was genuine or used purely as a disguise to avoid suspicion during late-night movement. No conclusion has been reached; verification of ambulance registrations in surrounding districts is under way.
How much cash was stolen from the Kamareddy ATM?
The exact amount has not been confirmed. Authorities need to verify the ATM's pre-theft cash balance against records before establishing the total loss.
Is this connected to the earlier ATM thefts in Karimnagar?
Police have not formally linked the cases, but the operational similarities are notable — gas cutters, elaborate disguise, and a getaway vehicle chosen for cover. Investigators are cross-referencing CCTV footage from both incidents. In the Karimnagar thefts of 19 September 2025, ₹8 lakh was stolen from one ATM by two accused including a woman.
Have any arrests been made in the Kamareddy ATM robbery?
No arrests have been made so far. Police have registered a case, collected evidence with a clues team, and are examining CCTV footage to identify the suspects and trace their movements.
