British ram raiders are dreaming big: while most thieves will use an SUV or a van to smash through a building / window and get to whatever it is that they’re trying to steal, these guys used a crane. And they brought down half a supermarket with it.
It happened in Maidstone, Kent, UK earlier this week, and the building targeted was the Sainsbury’s Local supermarket, the BBC reports. Video of the heist as it was happening was captured by passing motorists, who were, as you may imagine, helpless to stop it.
The crane was stolen from a nearby building site and the thieves made sure to roll down the street in it with the yellow light on. Then, they proceeded to smashing through the supermarket walls to get to where they knew was an ATM.
Once they reached it, they used the same crane to pick it up and lift it through the roof of the building. They then placed the cash machine in the back of a waiting silver van, which sped off.
The crane operator or operators were also gone the moment the ATM was loaded and secured, leaving the crane at the scene.
Someone from the supermarket told the media the next morning that the store would be closed indeterminately. The BBC says that damage to the structure was “significant,” so it might be another while until locals get to shop there again.
But here’s the funny part: all that effort might have been in vain. The Daily Mail says that the ATM was empty and out of order, citing locals discussing the impressive theft on social media. Everybody knew that the cash machine hadn’t been working in days – well, everyone except for these masterminds. Wouldn’t that be a bummer, when they open the cash machine to find it empty.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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