ATM machine ripped from ground during overnight theft attempt in Richland County
A pair of would-be thieves ripped an ATM out of the ground while attempting to steal money from a Richland County bank early Friday morning, authorities said.
Richland County sheriff’s deputies discovered the cash machine lying on its side and partially cracked open, but with the money still inside, after responding to the First Community Bank in Blythewood at about 2:40 a.m., the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
Surveillance footage revealed that two men, dressed in all black, had attempted to remove the ATM overnight using a white Ford F-150 pickup truck with a company logo and the letters NG written across its side.
Deputies spoke with a representative of the company, who said the truck had been stolen out of Charlotte, N.C., and used in another attempted ATM theft in that area. The vehicle’s GPS system was removed by the thieves, the company rep told authorities.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the department at (803) 576-3000 or submit tips anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-CRIMESC.