The investigations have revealed that the thief, who dislodged an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Gattuwana Junction, Kurunegala and stole Rs 9 million, is roaming in the North Western Province (NWP), Police said. A Police team is on the lookout to arrest him.

The suspect, ‘Vidusha Indrajith Adikari’ (30), is a resident of Katiyaya, Eppawala. He has not returned to Eppawala after the robbery, and both the mobile phones possessed by him are not in operation now.

The suspect had entered the ATM booth at around 9.30 am on February 4.

While he was cutting the ATM, his grinder disc had broken and he had come out of the ATM booth at around 10.30 a.m. to replace it.

He had taken a three-wheeler from a nearby three-wheeler park and gone to a shop selling construction materials. He had returned to the ATM booth at around 11 a.m. with a new grinder disc. He had come out of the booth at around 1.30 p.m. with a bag full of stolen money.

He had walked some distance and then taken a bus. The suspect had studied the location of the ATM for several days prior to the robbery.

While he was cutting the ATM, a traffic Police officer of the Kurunegala Police had come to withdraw money, but the unsuspecting officer had turned back.

The suspect had previously been a worker of an ATM repairing company. He was jailed on November 26, 2021 for stealing Rs. 7.6 million by cutting an ATM with the use of a grinder in a vehicle park near the Minneriya Army Camp. He had escaped from the Polonnaruwa Prison about six months ago.

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