Forklift-Driving ATM Thief Foiled: Machine Found, No Money Taken

ODESSA, Texas — A thief who used a forklift to steal a credit union's ATM last week apparently did not profit from the caper.

On March 5 at 1:30 am, a thief driving a forklift ripped out the ATM located in the drive-through of Complex Community FCU.

But by 8 p.m. that evening the ATM was found in a rock pit less than three miles from the credit union, damaged--but no money taken, according to Andrea Goodson, public information coordinator for the city of Odessa.

The Diebold ATM was spotted by a local resident, who notified the local sheriff's office.

The crook, caught on video by the $400 million-asset CU's security camera, lifted the ATM cleanly off its moorings and then placed the cash machine in the back of a pickup truck and drove away. The criminal is still at large. The amount of money in the ATM has not been released.

Surveillance shows a dark-colored Ford F-150 making its getaway. Investigators have gone over details from the video and have looked into nearby construction sites for possible leads.

Officials said there's a good chance the forklift was stolen. The FBI is heading the investigation.

CCFCU did not return calls from Credit Union Journal.

A Diebold spokesperson said the North Canton, Ohio-based company does not comment on facts surrounding a crime that is being investigated, but offered insights into what a thief would encounter if the person broke into a Diebold ATM's safe.

Noting that the company was unsure of the model number of this particular stolen ATM, the spokesperson pointed out that Diebold ATMs have sensors to detect and report an attack.

In the case of an ATM being lifted off its base, internal sensors would detect the movement and die packs would then immediately spray blue ink over the bills.