Backhoe used to rob ATM from Toronto bank: 'This is crazy'
It's the second such incident in the GTA since November
Article content
Talk about a big withdrawal.
Toronto Police are investigating after a backhoe was used to do a smash and grab, ripping an ATM machine right out of the front foyer of a TD Bank at Lawrence Plaza, located at the northwest corner of Bathurst St. and Lawrence Ave. W., on Tuesday at 4:26 a.m.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Backhoe used to rob ATM from Toronto bank: 'This is crazy' Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
It’s the second such incident in the GTA in the past two months.
The back-end bucket of the CAT-style backhoe still had metal strapping and debris hanging from it hours later at the scene.
The thieves looked to have smashed the ATM machine open and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from it.
They never got to the second bank machine located further inside the front foyer, which was destroyed in the brazen theft.
Area residents stood taking images and short videos on their phones asking aloud, “How could this happen” and saying, “This is crazy.”
One woman noted there has been many smash-and-grab stories in the news recently involving jewelry stores, but called this theft “unbelievable.”
A heavy tow truck with a large flatbed came into the parking lot around 10 a.m. and proceeded to load the excavator onto the back of it.
A man who came to start the machine showed journalists a bunch of universal keys for heavy machinery like CAT, John Deere and a few others and said the keys can usually start any one of the machines.
He added that criminals can buy the keys legally online.
Police did not immediately say where the equipment used in the theft came from.
Four suspects are wanted after breaking into a mall and stealing an ATM from a bank in Pickering.
On Nov. 12 at about 3:45 a.m., a stolen construction backhoe loader was used to smash the front entrance of the TD Bank at the Shops at Pickering City Centre at 1355 Kingston Rd. in Pickering. Durham Regional Police said at the time four suspects destroyed one ATM and stole a second before fleeing in a white Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Anyone with information in the theft is asked to call Toronto Police at 416-808-3200 or Crime Stoppers.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.