Money pilfered from ATMs -two foreigners held

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Police have asked Automated Teller Machine (ATM) holders to check their account balances regularly to avoid money being pilfered from ATMs without their knowledge. This is a sequel to the arrest of two foreigners yesterday, morning at Dehiwela, Police Media Spokesman, SSP Prishantha Jayakody told the Sunday Observer.

A team from the Dehiwela police Crime Branch on a tip off took in for questioning two young Rumanian nationals hovering around William Junction, Dehiwela in the wee hours of Saturday morning in a suspicious manner. When police searched the suspects they

found 57 forged ATM cards, one Master Credit Card, Two Visa Credit Cards and a card from the Western Union Bank along with Rs. 2,450,000 in their possession.

On questioning it came to light that the two suspects had withdrawn large sums of cash from Automated Tellar Machines in Mount Lavinia and Dehiwela.

Chief Inspector Ajith Gunewardena, OIC Crimes, Dehiwela police station said the two suspects had fraudulently withdrawn more cash from other ATMs in Colombo and elsewhere.

It also came to light that one suspect had visited Sri Lanka earlier while the other had arrived in the country for the first time. Both suspects had arrived in the country recently. Police are now checking with the Department of Immigration and Emigration officials, the number of visits the two Rumanian nationals had made in the past. Police found it difficult to question the suspects as they had only a smattering knowledge of English.

Two years ago Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths took in for questioning two other Rumanian nationals with special equipment to withdraw cash fraudulently from ATMs in Wellawatte and Mount Lavinia. The police Media Spokesman said the two recently arrested Rumanian suspects will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department for investigations.