Thane Police Arrest ATM Fraud Gang That Used Adhesive to Trap Cards

A gang that allegedly used a common adhesive to trap ATM cards and defraud customers has been arrested by the Kolsewadi Police in Kalyan, Thane district. The arrests were made aboard the Patna Express after a brief chase.

The gang's modus operandi was unusual. They would first apply Fevikwik, a strong adhesive, to the card slot of an ATM machine. When a customer inserted their card, it would get stuck, leaving the user frustrated and unable to retrieve it.

At that moment, a gang member would step in, posing as a helpful stranger. The fake helper would instruct the customer to enter their PIN multiple times, claiming it would release the card. When this failed, the customer was directed to call a specific mobile number, which belonged to another gang member. The caller would then ask the victim to come to a particular location.

According to the police investigation, the gang used this ruse to obtain ATM PINs and other banking details from victims, which they later used to withdraw money from their accounts.

The breakthrough came after a complaint was filed regarding an attempted fraud at an ATM in the Kolsewadi area of Kalyan East. Police arrested Rajesh Kumar Yadav in connection with the case. During interrogation, he revealed that three accomplices were involved and were hiding in the Kongao area of Bhiwandi.

Acting on a tip-off that the three suspects were heading to Bihar, the police launched a pursuit and managed to arrest them on board the Patna Express.

Investigators believe the gang used the same method to cheat several people. They are now working to determine the total number of victims and the amount of money that was fraudulently withdrawn from their accounts.