Watch Video: Alert citizen thwarts midnight robbery at Mumbai ATM

As Ramzan is on, I woke up around 4:40 am for sehri and prayers. Like every day, I looked out of my window and noticed that the ATM’s shutter was down but the lights were on, which is unusual. To be on the safe side, I called the police first and then went to check the ATM. Pic/Hanif Patel
— Fazal Sayed

Fazal Sayed woke up at the break of dawn for sehri and morning prayers offered during Ramzan. When he looked out the window, he saw that  the ATM opposite his house had its shutter down, but the lights were on. Illustrations: Uday Mohite

His suspicions raised, Sayed went downstairs and yelled to check if anyone was inside the ATM. At that very moment, a youth in his 20s barged out of the ATM with a backpack.

Before Sayed could even ask him what he was doing, the crook began to run. Sayed gave chase but could not catch up with the youth. However, in his panic, the suspect dropped his backpack.

Sayed opened the bag to find a hammer, gas cutter and other tools that could be used to break into the ATM. The Manikpur police then arrived on the scene 

The CCTV footage shows Fazal Sayed chasing after the crook who dropped his backpack after he emerged from the ATM

Copspeak
“In the bag that was dropped by the accused, we found tools that could be used to break into the ATM. Thanks to Sayed’s alertness and the fact that he was awake for Ramzan, the ATM robbery was thwarted. We have registered a case and are trying to identify him with the help of CCTV footage,” said an official from Manikpur police station.