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Xmas: Man stole Credit card ATM machine with Caterpillar, $27 000

by SOLARLIFE | December 25, 2008 at 10:24 am

558 views | 15 Recommendations | 8 comments

Christmas, need some money, take the ATM machine, DEC-25

PUNTA GORDA: Police are searching for a person of interest in connection with an ATM theft at a First Community Bank.

Punta Gorda police say just after 1 a.m. Thursday morning, someone stole a Caterpillar front-end loading machine from a BP Gas Station and used it to remove the ATM.

ATM First Community Bank removed

At the First Community Bank, officers found large asphalt marks leading away from the bank to a nearby parking lot where the Caterpillar was found.

Police say the thief got away with at least $27,000 in cash and caused at least $14,000 in damages to the bank.

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Jordan Yerman

at 10:58 on December 25th, 2008

What's funny is that this isn't the first time someone used heavy-lifting equipment to steal an ATM! I heard a similar story several years ago. A forklift carrying a cashpoint tends to attract law-enforcement attention, though.

SOLARLIFE

at 11:02 on December 25th, 2008

Jordan, ATM, ...heavy-lifting equipment to steal an ATM! I heard a similar story several years ago. Yes I remember the story, and it started all with the Pick-up trucks trashing in the windows. What comes next ?

vanceastro (not verified)

at 11:03 on December 25th, 2008

I dont have the stones to try and pull that off

tom.tziros

at 12:42 on December 25th, 2008

There was a same story a couple of years in Crete where a gang used heavy machinery not only to steal the ATM but also to block the access to the police cars. For those who can understand Greek I have a small piece in my blog and there is also a link to the original news, here.

Emilio Lizardo

at 13:35 on December 25th, 2008

Αθήνα
Θρασύτατη ληστεία έγινε στις 4:30 τα ξημερώματα της Δευτέρας στο υποκατάστημα της Αγροτικής Τράπεζας στις Καλύβες Χανίων.

Αγνωστοι δράστες εισέβαλαν με την μπουλντόζα μέσα στην τράπεζα, σπάζοντας την κεντρική είσοδο και κυριολεκτικά σήκωσαν το χρηματοκιβώτιο και το μηχάνημα αυτόματων αναλήψεων (ΑΤΜ).

Η ληστεία ήταν καλά οργανωμένη αφού οι δράστες, είχαν αποκλείσει με οχήματα τους γύρω δρόμους και μάλιστα όταν στο σημείο πλησίασε περιπολικό του αστυνομικού τμήματος Βρυσών, δεν δίστασαν να το πυροβολήσουν στα λάστιχα και να το ακινητοποιήσουν.

Σύμφωνα με τις εκτιμήσεις του διευθυντή του υποκαταστήματος, στο χρηματοκιβώτιο υπήρχε το ποσό των 200.000 ευρώ, ενώ στο ΑΤΜ το απόγευμα της Παρασκευής υπήρχαν 130.000 ευρώ.

Goodness ! It's all Greek to me ...

SOLARLIFE

at 02:38 on December 26th, 2008

Emilio good Idea to insert original greek language, we should do that more often, makes NP more Int'l thanks happy holidays

tom.tziros

at 17:22 on December 25th, 2008

It says that in the village o Calives in Chania district unknown burglars invaded with a bulldozer braking the front entrance and the picked up the ATM. The robbery was well organized because the gang had blocked the passages with vehicles. When a police car came they didn't hesitate to shoot at its tires, so that they could immobilize it. The bank manager said that in the safe where 200.000 Euro and at friday evening there where 130.000 Euro at the ATM.

I hope, even with my bad English, that now its not so Greek to you :-)