Unidentified burglars reportedly decamped with the ATM of a nationalised bank in Bukkarayasamudram mandal headquarters early on Wednesday. The miscreants allegedly broke open the chest, looted the money, and later set the machine on fire at Akuledu village in Singanamala mandal.

The ATM centre was loacated near Bukkarayasamudram police station. Police said that a couple of motorists and some other vehicles reportedly passed in front of the centre while the miscreants were committing the offence.

According to the police, at least three individuals arrived near the ATM centre in a pickup truck around 2.04 a.m. Initially, one of them entered the centre, while the driver parked the vehicle a short distance away. Sometime later, after switching off the lights at the centre, another person entered the centre while the driver brought the vehicle and parked it in front of the building. The accused then tied a long rope to the ATM machine, pulled it out, and took it away in the vehicle.

In the early hours, locals of Akuledu village found a burnt ATM machine in the agriculture fields and informed the police. According to the police nearly ₹18 lakh cash was stolen from the machine.

Superintendent of Police (SP) P. Jagadeesh informed that special teams have been formed to nab the accused and they were analysing technical evidence and CCTV footages.

Meanwhile, police said that a similar theft had taken place in Dharmavaram in neighbouring Sri Sathya Sai district a couple of days ago.