Masked Men Posing as Officials Steal $800,000 in Bengaluru Daylight Heist

A group of armed men pretending to be officials from India’s central bank have robbed a cash van carrying 70 mln rupees ($800,000) in Bengaluru, Karnataka, BBC reports.

The robbery took place on November 19 afternoon on a busy city road as the van transported money between bank branches. Bengaluru police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said six men in an SUV intercepted the vehicle in daylight.

The van held a driver, a cash custodian, and two armed security guards. The attackers claimed to be Reserve Bank of India officials and said they needed to verify the van’s documentation. They ordered the guards and custodian to leave their weapons inside the van and get into the SUV, while the driver was told to continue driving.

Police said the SUV followed the cash van for several kilometres before the gang forced the driver out, took the cash at gunpoint, and fled. CCTV coverage in the area was limited, and authorities are investigating whether multiple vehicles were used in the operation.

The cash transport company has lodged a police complaint. Police revealed the SUV used had a fake number plate and a sticker claiming it belonged to the Government of India. Officials are also looking into whether employees of the company were involved.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the SUV had been recovered, while Home Minister G Parameshwara said it remains unclear which vehicle the robbers used to escape. He expressed confidence that the police would solve the case, citing past successful investigations into high-profile bank robberies.