RCMP set up team to focus investigation on cash machine robberies across the province
A spate of ATM thefts in the Athabasca region is part of a wave of similar crimes happening around the province, according to the RCMP.
Insp. Gibson Glavin with the RCMP's ìK î Division in Edmonton says a team of officers was set up in the autumn, and they are co-ordinating investigations into these crimes throughout Alberta.
ìWe have at least 25 types of ATM thefts or (ATMs) being pulled out of businesses, that we're working on, î Glavin said. ìIt's spread rather evenly in the rural areas that we police throughout the province - so we have south, central, north, east, west. î
Athabasca RCMP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Brian Nicholl said there have been two recent ATM thefts in the area - one in Colinton and one in the Town of Athabasca.
ìIt's one of those things that are really hard, î he said, speaking of the investigation.
Glavin said there are ìmany î leads, and that this is not a new type of theft in Alberta or western Canada. He said though it would be possible for one person to make the thefts, the police are ìpretty confident î it is more than that.
ìWhether it's more than one group of people, we don't know, î he said.
The method Glavin said they are often seeing involves some form of large vehicle driven into a building in order to gain entry. Though there are cases where the vehicles have been stolen, he said that is not always the case.
ìThis is affecting commercial businesses only, and commercial businesses during times when they are closed and there's nobody around in general, î he said.
ìSomebody and some people know who's doing it, some of these. And we hope that they will be able to let us know and we can stop it. î
Lac La Biche detachment commander Sgt. Henry Van Dorland said there was a rash of ATM thefts in Lac La Biche and St. Paul about a year and a half ago. He said multiple people were convicted of the crimes in Cold Lake, where they faced other ATM-related theft charges.
ìUsually what they're doing is driving a stolen pickup truck, or backing it into a back door, throwing a chain around the ATM and yanking it out, î Van Dorland said.
ìThey cause more damage than what's in these machines, in some cases, î he said, noting that doors, frames and walls often need to be replaced - even the structural integrity of the building can be compromised. ìIt causes more grief than it's worth. î
He suggests that businesses bolt down their machines and put a large concrete barrier in front of any doors to prevent vehicles from being able to ram through.
Or simply get rid of the ATM.
ìBoston Pizza - they got rid of theirs, î he said. ìThey said everybody pays with plastic money now, credit cards and stuff like that. They don't need cash. î
A press release from the Athabasca RCMP states that an ATM was taken from the SS Athabasca Car Wash on March 15. It was later found in the middle of a roadway missing an undisclosed amount of cash.
According to the release, police responded to a report of two male suspects breaking into the car wash at about 5 a.m. that day. The release says the suspects drove a pickup truck into a door to gain entry, took the ATM and drove away.
Other releases from the Athabasca detachment state the suspects used a stolen silver 2013 Ford 150 pickup truck, which was later found near the ATM.
According to another press release from the Athabasca RCMP, the Colinton Hotel also had its ATM stolen on Feb. 17.
The release states that two unknown suspects broke into the Hotel on Feb. 17. They used a dark pickup truck to pull the ATM from the hotel, causing minor damage to the building, and loaded the machine into the pickup truck. The ATM was later found in the Perryvale area, and was missing an undisclosed amount of cash.
A Fort Saskatchewan RCMP press release states that five suspects with a stolen tractor and stolen vehicle tried to take the ATM out of from the Lamont Servus Credit Union March 14.
According to the release, police responded to a 911 call at 2:24 a.m. reporting a break and enter credit union. Police confirmed in the release that entry was gained to the credit union using a stolen tractor, and that the five suspects removed the ATM from the building with the use of another stolen vehicle, though they did not remove the ATM from the site. Both the stolen tractor and stolen vehicle were recovered at the scene.
A press release from the Thorsby RCMP details the theft of an ATM from the Bank of Montreal during the early morning hours of Feb. 29.
The release states that an investigation revealed that a garbage truck had been stolen earlier, and was used to perpetrate the crime. After the ATM was stolen, the garbage truck was driven eastbound on Township Road 492, where it was abandoned. The suspect left the area in what is believed to be a very clean, white, early 2000s Chevrolet/GMC extended-cab truck.
The release also states this was the second ATM theft reported in Thorsby.
