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Thieves Use Excavator to Rip ATM From Wells Fargo Branch in Baltimore

Authorities warn the incident reflects a local surge in ATM thefts that may force banks to strengthen security.

Overview

  • Early Sunday morning thieves used an excavator to smash through a Wells Fargo branch at Loch Raven Boulevard and Northern Parkway and remove the ATM.
  • Security cameras captured the break-in in plain view and police found the excavator abandoned in the bank parking lot.
  • More than 24 hours after the theft no arrests were reported and detectives from the Eastern District are investigating.
  • Wells Fargo temporarily closed the branch with a brief 'condemned' notice and sources say it is expected to reopen later this week.
  • The robbery is part of a wider regional rise in ATM crimes since the pandemic that industry groups and the FBI have linked to both heavy-equipment smash-and-grabs and malware 'jackpotting.'