WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Forklift used to snatch ATM from Montgomery bank

Forklift used to snatch ATM from Montgomery bank

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Montgomery police officers call it a gutsy move after thieves stole a forklift and then used it to snatch an ATM from the drive-through at a local bank.

Yes, cameras on the front of the machine caught the money "lifting" capers and now you have the chance to see the video and help police catch the pair.

The surveillance video shows a forklift cruising through the drive-through line at a local bank on November 1st, not to make a deposit but a big withdrawal.

Officers responded to a business burglary call in the 4100 block of Carmichael Road within three minutes but the thieves were gone, ditching the forklift nearby with the engine still running. The suspects loaded the machine into the back of a Chevrolet pickup truck and fled the scene.

Investigators say the video shows a thief that is no stranger to heavy equipment. "These were professionals. These were individuals who knew how to operate a forklift and heavy equipment," said MPD spokesman Captain Huey Thornton.

But what drives a forklift operator to uproot an ATM machine wired to security cameras?

Officers say it's simply a lucrative act that will only cost the suspects in the end.

"Even though they think it's lucrative, the time they will spend in jail for committing such an act doesn't make it profitable, " said Thornton. The crime is a Class A Felony and the suspects could get anywhere from 20 years to life in prison once they're caught and convicted.

Investigators say the driver of the white Chevrolet truck has a large tattoo on his left arm, though the exact design is too blurry to make out.

If you recognize the truck or have any information on the driver, please call Crimestoppers at 215-STOP.