Bengaluru cash van heist: Gang impersonates tax officials, flees with crores

Bengaluru

In a dramatic daylight heist that has shocked the city, a gang impersonating Central Tax officials intercepted a ATM CMS cash van near Ashoka Pillar on Wednesday and escaped with cash reportedly running into ₹ 7 crores.

The incident occurred while the van was transporting cash from HDFC Bank’s JP Nagar branch. According to police sources, an Innova car blocked the movement of the vehicle, following which the suspects confronted the staff, claiming they needed to “verify documents.” Within minutes, the gang overpowered the employees and forced both the staff and the cash into their vehicle.

The employees were later abandoned near Dairy Circle, unharmed but shaken, while the gang fled with the cash.

The South Division police have launched a massive manhunt, forming special teams to track down the well-organised group behind the robbery. CCTV footage from the area, route patterns of the cash van, and details of similar previous attempts are being examined.

A senior police officials described the heist as a “highly coordinated and pre-planned operation,” adding that investigations are underway to determine whether insider assistance was involved.

The daring robbery, executed in the heart of the city during peak hours, has raised serious questions about security protocols followed by cash management firms and their vulnerability.