ATHENS, Ga. -- A man was looking for poachers on his land just over the Oconee County line when he found an ATM that a team of thieves stole four months ago from a bank off Atlanta Highway in Western Clarke County, officials said.
The machine still was in the bed of a pickup truck that thieves stole from an Athens used car lot the day they swiped the Wachovia ATM.
The machine had been broken open and the money was gone, authorities said Monday.
The truck was driven into the woods off Puritan Lane, a dead-end street off U.S. Highway 441 near the Athens Perimeter, according to Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry.
"We knew (which ATM) it was right away," Berry said.
A well-organized gang of thieves stole the machine early the morning of July 20 from the Wachovia branch where Mitchell Bridge Road and Atlanta Highway intersect.
Authorities suspect that since December 2007, the same group has stolen more than a dozen bank ATMs, mostly in metro Atlanta, but struck in Commerce in May and two months later in Athens.
In Athens, thieves stole a pickup from the car dealership and also stole a forklift from a construction site nearby, which they apparently loaded onto a trailer pulled by another vehicle, Athens-Clarke police said.
The thieves then drove to Wachovia, used the forklift to wrench the ATM from its foundation and loaded it into the stolen pickup.
Local police searched, but didn't find the machine.
Police in a Georgia State Patrol helicopter even looked for the ATM, but the area around Puritan Lane is covered by woods, Athens-Clarke police Sgt. Randy Garrett said.
Local police forensic experts began examining the ATM and pickup for fingerprints and other evidence, he said.
"Finding the ATM is a big step in the investigation," Garrett said. "Now, we have something to process for evidence, but whether we get anything usable is another story."
Authorities have not said how much money was in the ATM. But unlike smaller money machines in convenience stores that hold hundreds of dollars, officials said, bank ATMs can contain $10,000 or more.
Wachovia is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the ATM thieves.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Another ATM was stolen right out of Sanford Stadium on the University of Georgia on Friday morning. If you know Sanford Stadium's location it's difficult to understand how that theft would not have been noticed by someone..
I hope these guys get caught, but I do admire them for being smart enough to steal without threatening violence on people at the end of a gun. There are worse sorts of criminals out there. Banks are insured. These guys are low priority.
CoastalDawg - all you need to do is wear gray coveralls with the word ACME on the back and look like you're there for maintenance and no one will give you a second glance.
Hepkikyo, that is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read! Banks are insured? I am insured too, but if someone breaks into my house and steals what belongs to me, or steals my car... it's not low priority. Don't ever let me hear you complain about high interest rates at banks, or the high fees to use an ATM using that kind of irresponsible logic. These type of crimes affect everyone. Oh I forgot, it's just spreading the wealth, how stupid of me.
i wonder if these are the same guys that stole the Georgia Bank and Trust ATM off Wheeler Rd. a while back.. same kind of deal: steal truck, steal tractor, steal ATM, and then dump truck and ATM in deserted areas..
MadSnapper - ...so we agree then... You feel it is not low priority when crimes are committed against your personal property, and it would be okay with you if the police department worked harder to find your car and other belongings before they spent additional manpower looking for a busted ATM machine... that is also insured... Oh, and I don't borrow from high interest lenders, and I don't use ATM machines. Let the banks hire their own detectives with my tax dollars.
You totally missed the point Heppy, property is property, it doesnt matter if it belongs to me or a bank. Most people do borrow from banks and pay for banking services which are made higher by crimes like this. Your last sentence though, what the heck does that mean?
Do you remember when the Banking industry accepted billions of dollars in bail out money? That money was donated to the banks by our federal government from taxes that were collected from our pockets. The banks should have PLENTY of money to offset operating expenses without having to gouge their customers with high interest loans, and expensive fees. And the banks should be able to afford to hire their own private detectives to find their missing money machines. (that IS sarcasm by the way...) And ANOTHER thing... it's no fun arguing with you when I have to explain everything, and then you still don't understand! (grin)
Hepkikyo, who do you think pays for that insurance? Do you think it's free? And no, a bank does not get paid for all of its losses, only losses above a certain threshold.