# ATM heist series in Tamil Nadu

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/atm-heist-series-in-tamil-nadu
> Updated: 2026-09-17T03:15:34.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

In early September 2026, a series of ATM thefts occurred across the Chennai and Tiruvallur regions of Tamil Nadu. One notable incident near Vellavedu involved thieves using a welding machine to cut through a structure and steal an entire white-label ATM containing an estimated Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

By mid-September, Tamil Nadu police arrested three men from West Bengal in connection with the robberies. The suspects allegedly posed as scrap collectors to scout locations. The investigation revealed that the gang used methods such as gas cutters and paint to disable CCTV cameras. The wave of crimes also exposed security vulnerabilities, including a bank alert system that relayed information to a control room in Mumbai rather than local authorities, which delayed the police response.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-17: Tamil Nadu police arrest three men for series of ATM heists

Tamil Nadu police arrested three men from West Bengal for a series of ATM heists in Chennai and Tiruvallur, exposing security loopholes in unmanned kiosks.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tamil-nadu-police-arrest-three-men-for-series-of-atm-heists

### 2026-09-06: Tiruvallur thieves steal entire ATM machine containing cash

Thieves stole an entire ATM machine containing an estimated Rs 5–10 lakh from Koodapakkam in Tiruvallur, marking the third such heist in the region within two weeks.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tiruvallur-thieves-steal-entire-atm-machine-containing-cash

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Cite as: ATM heist series in Tamil Nadu. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/atm-heist-series-in-tamil-nadu