Thieves use stolen skid steers and backhoes to steal ATMs

Thieves are becoming increasingly bold when it comes to stealing construction equipment and using it for other crimes.

Recently, thieves used a stolen compact track loader to steal an ATM in Toledo, Ohio, and 10 days later, a stolen backhoe was used to steal an ATM in broad daylight in Puyallup, Washington while witnesses watched the crime.

CTL ATM theft caught on video

Around 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 20, thieves used a stolen compact track loader and pickup truck to knock over and make off with an ATM at the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union.

The credit union’s surveillance camera shows a maroon pickup truck and a Kubota CTL arriving at the ATM drive-thru.

The CTL operator uses pallet forks to pry the ATM loose and eventually knocks it over. The pickup driver comes by and pushes the ATM away. The CTL was used to load the ATM into the back of the pickup.

The thieves left behind the CTL, which was later returned to the construction company about 2 miles away. The truck, stolen from another owner, could not be recovered.

The thieves are still at large.

You can watch the incident on WTVG 13 Action News by clicking here.

ATM stolen in broad daylight with an excavator

The remains of an ATM kiosk after three masked men stole an ATM using a backhoe and a pickup truck.Puyallup Police DepartmentThe thieves in Puyallup, Washington, were even more brazen in their ATM heist at 8:50 a.m. on November 30 in front of witnesses.

Police were alerted to the theft in progress after witnesses saw a Cat excavator being used to dismantle an ATM in a parking lot and then loading the ATM into the back of a Ford F-350. The three thieves wore ski masks and were dressed in dark clothing.

When Puyallup police officers arrived, the thieves sped off in the truck, leaving the excavator behind. A high-speed chase ensued. The truck driver temporarily crossed into the oncoming lane, the police said. The chase ended when they reached the Sumner city limits.

Police discovered that the excavator had been stolen from a construction site about 3 kilometers away and driven to the ATM. The truck was stolen from Kitsap County, about an hour from the crime scene.

Police are asking the public for help in finding the thieves.

Tips on how to prevent your equipment from being stolen can be found here:

A detective’s perspective on preventing device theft