10 Indian robberies so bold they feel straight out of 'Money Heist'
Robbers dug a 25-foot tunnel from an empty shop into the Bank of Baroda branch in Subhash Nagar, Mumbai. They broke open 30 lockers and escaped with jewellery and cash worth around Rs 5 crore. The technique resembled international-style heists and attracted large media coverage.
1. The Chelembra Bank Robbery (Kerala, 2007)
Four men broke into the South Malabar Gramin Bank branch in Kozhikode by drilling a hole through the floor of a bakery above the bank. They escaped with around Rs 80 crore in cash and gold ornaments. The police solved the case using hotel CCTV footage and recovered most of the stolen assets.
2. The Punjab National Bank Heist (Delhi, 2014)
A group of robbers accessed the PNB branch in Sonepat by breaking a hole through the strongroom wall. The incident took place over a weekend, and valuables worth nearly ₹3 crore were taken, including cash and jewellery kept in lockers. The plot was uncovered after forensic tracing.
3. The SBI Chest Theft (Chennai, 2021)
A group managed to enter the SBI currency chest in Cuddalore district and stole over Rs 6 crore in cash. The robbery was detected when the State Bank of India’s regular audit found discrepancies in the cash count. Later investigation revealed insider involvement.
4. The RBI Chest Heist Attempt (Jaipur, 2011)
A group attempted one of the biggest planned robberies by digging a 25-foot tunnel towards the RBI currency chest. The plot was intercepted before completion, becoming one of India’s most widely reported attempted heists due to its scale and planning.
5. The Ludhiana Jewellery Showroom Robbery (Punjab, 2022)
Armed men stormed a high-value jewellery store in Ludhiana and escaped with gold and diamonds worth approximately Rs 5 crore. The robbers reportedly used a two-wheeler to flee and avoided CCTV blind spots. The case drew attention for its rapid execution.
6. The ICICI Bank Daring Theft (Manipal, 2014)
A single security guard executed a late-night robbery at an ICICI branch where he was posted. He broke into the strongroom and stole around Rs 27 lakh. The theft gained attention because the accused was the only staffer on duty and had exploited complete trust from the bank.
7. The Mumbai Opera House Diamond Heist (1987)
One of the earliest high-value robberies in modern India. A man posing as a CBI officer conducted a “raid” on a jewellery firm in Opera House and walked out with diamonds worth nearly Rs 30 lakh, a huge sum during the time. The case remains unsolved.
8. The Rs 8.5 Crore ATM Van Robbery (Delhi, 2015)
A driver working with an ATM cash replenishment agency fled with the entire cash van carrying Rs 8.5 crore. He abandoned the vehicle after taking the money and went into hiding. Police later tracked him through his mobile movement and recovered a major part of the money.
9. The Bengaluru ATM Robbery & Attack (2013)
A woman was attacked at a Corporation Bank ATM in Bengaluru when a lone criminal entered the kiosk with a machete and tried to rob her. Although not a high-value money robbery, it became nationally significant due to CCTV footage and the security debate that followed.
10. The Bank of Baroda Tunnel Heist (Mumbai, 2016)
Robbers dug a 25-foot tunnel from an empty shop into the Bank of Baroda branch in Subhash Nagar, Mumbai. They broke open 30 lockers and escaped with jewellery and cash worth around Rs 5 crore. The technique resembled international-style heists and attracted large media coverage.
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