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WITH THE DETAILS. JULIE? JULIE: BEN AND MARIA, AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE TWO CANADIANS FLEW INTO AMERICA, STOLE MONEY, ALLEGEDLY, AND THEN LEFT. DEFENSE ATTORNEYS SAY THEY HAVE NO CRIMINAL PASTS, IN FACT, THE pDEFENDANT ON THE RIGHT IS A COLLEGE STUDENT. BUT TODAY THEY STAND ACCUSED OF RUNNING AN OPERATION THAT ROBBED BANKS IN AT LAST MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW HAMPSHIRE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. >> THIS IS PART OF A MUCH LARGER RING THAT CROSSES STATE AND POTENTIALLY INTERNATIONAL LINES. JULIE: THARUSHAN NIRMALACHANDRAN AND AJITHARAN RAVEENDRAN WERE ARRESTED BY METHUEN POLICE OVER THE WEEKEND AT THIS DAYS INN AFTER A TRIP FROM POLICE IN NEW HAMPSHIR POLICE SAY THE TWO CANADIAN MEN REFUSED TO PROVIDE IDENTIFICATION. >> HOMELAND SECURITY HAD TO BE CONTACTED TO EVEN DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. JULIE: A SEARCH OF THEIR RENTAL CAR REVEALED INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE.% >> THE OFFICERS LOCATED MULTIPLE DUFFLE BAGS AND PASTIC BAGS AND THEY LOCATED A LARGE AMOUNT OF CASH, $51,610, AS WELL AS GIFT TWO PLASTIC BAGS CONTAINING GIFT CARDS AND DEBIT CARDS. JULIE: MONEY AUTHORITIES SAY THE DUO WITHDREW FROM DCU BRANCHES EVERY NIGHT USING FAKE ATM’S. PROSECUTORS SAY THAT MONEY WAS THEN CLEANED AT A NEW YORK CASINO BEFORE TRANSPORTATION BACK TO CANADA. DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ARGUED FOR LOWER BAIL, BUT A JUDGE SET IT AT $500,000 EACH. THOSE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TELLING US THIS AFTERNOON IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THEIR CLIENTS WILL BE ABLE TO POST HALF $1 MILLION CASH.% THEY ARE DUE FOR NEXT HEARING IN MAY.

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Two men from Canada who are suspected of operating an ATM theft ring were in court Monday. Tharushan Nirmalachandran, 30, of Quebec, and Ajitharan Raveendran, 28, of Ontario, were each charged with possession of a burglarious instrument and receiving stolen property over $1,200. They were each held on $500,000 cash bail. Prosecutors said the men manipulated bank cards to withdraw money from ATMs at various DCU branches. Authorities say they used a New York casino to clean their stolen cash.Police said they recovered $51,610 in cash inside duffel bags, gift cards, debit cards and a printing device. They also found an electronic device that activates and utilizes bank cards inside a vehicle that was rented to one of the suspects.According to police, they recovered approximately $52,000 from inside the vehicle.Methuen police said police in Hudson, New Hampshire, were actively investigating a case involving larcenies from ATM by an organized group of criminals. During the investigation, Hudson police learned that the suspects were likely operating out of a room in the Days Inn on Pelham Street in Methuen.Methuen police received a search warrant for the Days Inn room and executed the warrant at 6:53 a.m. Saturday.Police found two men in the room; one presented Canadian identification, while the other had no identification. With assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, police identified the men as Nirmalachandran and Raveendran.Police recovered the cash, cards and devices after receiving an additional search warrant for a rental car, which was in Nirmalachandran's possession. They also recovered several used cash cards from the dumpster behind the hotel.“This is a great example of a successful collaboration between two departments in two states,” said Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon. “Great work to the Hudson, New Hampshire, Police Department, and to the Methuen officers who swiftly and effectively executed this search warrant and investigated (Saturday).”“The interagency cooperation shown among the Methuen Police Department, New Hampshire police and federal law enforcement demonstrates the partnerships built in this city and the professionalism demonstrated by our Methuen police detectives, who were instrumental in breaking up a criminal enterprise," said Methuen Mayor James P. Jajuga.Police believe the pair were working with a third suspect, who was charged in Hudson, New Hampshire.“It appears these gentleman were traveling throughout New England, manipulating cash cards, putting them into ATMs and receiving money from the ATMs," said Methuen police Capt. Kristopher McCarthy. "Our assumption is that this is going to turn into a multijurisdictional investigation and more than these three players will be involved."The three flew from Toronto to Atlanta, where they each rented a vehicle and began traveling up the East Coast of the United States.