Man snatches 50K from Fort bank cashier

MUMBAI: The MRA Marg police on Saturday arrested a man who tried to escape after stealing a cash bundle totalling Rs50,000 out of Rs 22 lakh kept on the cashier table of Central Bank of India's Fort branch.

Samir Sayyed, who resides in Thane district, posed as a customer and entered the bank at 12.40pm.

"Sayyed has more than 21 cases of theft registered against his name across Mumbai. After surveying the bank premises for a few minutes, he put his hand into the small glass opening in the cashier's counter," said Sukhlal Varpe, senior inspector of MRA Marg police station.

"He picked cash bundles but his hand got stuck. However, he managed to rob only one bundle of Rs50,000," he added.

The cashier, who was busy counting the cash, noticed Sayyed only when he heard the sound of the bundle falling. In the complaint the cashier stated: "I immediately shouted and the bank's security guard rushed to nab him."On seeing the guard charging at him, Sayyed slapped him and managed to rush out of the bank. "At that time assistant inspector Sandeep Sawant was passing by on his bike when he saw people from the bank shouting and pointing towards a man who was fleeing. Sawant chased Sayyed, caught him and recovered Rs50,000," said Varpe.

Sayyed has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 392 (robbery). He has been remanded in police custody till May 10. "He has also committed robbery after impersonating a policeman and targeted elderly women. He used to approach bank customers and offer to help them count cash. On this pretext, he would steal some notes," said a cop.