Man arrested in SR1.5m ATM theft

JEDDAH — A man was arrested after he broke into in an ATM and stole SR1.5 million.

Jeddah Police received a call from a citizen at 3:30 a.m. after he found an ATM next to a gas station at Kilo 14 on Old Makkah Road had been forcibly pried open.

Police launched an investigation and the company responsible for restocking the machine was called in. The company informed police that SR1.5 million had been stolen and that the amount had been stocked into the machine the night before the incident.

Police suspected the thief was someone who understands how ATMs work as the lock had been opened skillfully and the thief had attempted to burn the machine to erase his fingerprints. Police narrowed their investigation to two suspects working for the company.

After thorough interrogations, one of the suspects confessed to the crime saying he was getting married in three months and needed the money. The thief was arrested and the money was retrieved.