Bengaluru cash-van heist cracked: 3 arrested, Rs 5.76 crore recovered

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Nov 22, 2025: In a major breakthrough, Bengaluru Police have solved the high-profile ATM cash-van robbery, arresting three key accused and recovering Rs 5.76 crore within 60 hours of the incident.

The robbery that took place on Tuesday involving a CMS-operated cash vehicle carrying Rs 7.11 crore was found to be a well-planned insider-assisted heist.

At around 12:48 pm, the CMS cash van was intercepted near Ashoka Pillar-Jayanagar Dairy Circle by robbers posing as RBI officials. The gang threatened the staff at gunpoint, seized the cash boxes, and abandoned the vehicle by 1:16 pm. 

A case was registered at Siddapura Police Station.

Arrested Accused

Police arrested the following three key individuals directly linked to the planning and execution of the heist:

The vehicle movement in charge from the CMS company: He is responsible for tracking and coordinating van movements and is suspected of leaking crucial information.

Former CMS employee: He is believed to have shared operational procedures and insider knowledge.

Police Constable from Govindapura Police Station: He allegedly provided ground support and intelligence.

These arrests confirm insider involvement at multiple levels.

How Heist Was Planned

Police revealed that the gang spent three months planning the robbery. 

They conducted continuous recce of the cash van route and studied and exploited CCTV blind spots along the corridor. 

They also used multiple vehicles and changed registration number plates repeatedly and avoided mobile phones to prevent police tracking.

The accused communicated in various languages to mislead investigators.

Officers suspect that 6-8 individuals were part of the larger operation, including logistics handlers, spotters, and money movers.

"All the accused are from Bengaluru. We won’t be able to share the exact details of the roles of each accused, but this is a serious case. We have called the heads of the CMS company to discuss the lapses to ensure this doesn’t happen again," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told reporters.

"We have recovered some trunks in which cash was stored. The ex-employee had left the company about a year ago but was still in touch with people at the company. All three arrested accused and the others involved have had major roles," he added.

Over 30 people were interrogated across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Goa.

Early leads emerged within 24 hours, helping trace movements of the accused and the vehicles used.

The police said the CMS cash van had also violated multiple RBI safety norms, increasing vulnerability. One vehicle used in the heist has also been seized.

The Bengaluru Police team that cracked the case has been awarded a Rs 5 lakh cash reward by the police commissioner.