A pair of culprits used their pickup as a battering ram to smash through the doors of the Rimbey Co-op Shopping Centre to steal an ATM early on Friday.
Co-op general manager Jason Ryden said video surveillance showed the Dodge Ram pickup driving through a pair of sliding doors into a vestibule by the Co-op store at 2:46 a.m. The truck was driven into the ATM machine to dislodge it from its floor base, which is locked in place and secured with heavy bolts.
Two suspects, both believed to be males and wearing hoodies, could be seen taking the ATM and putting it the back of the truck before it took off.
“It took less than a minute from start to finish,” said Ryden.
Damage is estimated in the range of $40,000, not counting the security that will now have to be put in place until repairs are made.
“We have two sliding entry doors and they ripped those out,” he said, adding they cost about $14,000 each to replace. “The ATM is worth about $5,000 to $6,000.”
Ryden said the store will open for its regular business hours. A second entrance is available if needed through the Co-op hardware store.
It’s the first incident of this kind in the 13 years he’s managed the store, he said. However, the insurance adjuster said there have been a number of similar crimes recently in Calgary.
The vehicle is described as a late-model white Dodge Ram pickup with a crew cab and sunroof. It had running boards, white moulding around the wheels and a white rear bumper.
Rimbey RCMP continue to investigate. Anyone with information should call police at 403-843-2224.