By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
ALLEN PARK — Police were dispatched to Chase Bank, 14601 Southfield Road, Jan. 7 on a report of an alarm and three men driving a white Ford pickup truck who had broken open the ATM.
Downriver Central Dispatch further advised that a second gold Ford pickup truck was used during the same burglary, according to the bank’s security who was remotely accessing security cameras. The truck was reportedly occupied by two men wearing black jackets.
Once at the scene about 3:15 a.m., police observed both ATM machines on the south side of the bank broken open and heavily damaged. Both of the machine faces were opened and the bottom doors had been pried, but internal safes were still intact and it did not appear that any money had been stolen.
There were two metal hooks with chains inserted into the deposit tray of the ATM closest to the building where it appeared the men had used a vehicle to attempt to either open or drag the machine, the report said.
Also, fresh tire marks were found, leading from the south corner of the parking lot where the men appeared to have run over the grass and fled onto eastbound Cleophus Avenue where the muddy tire tracks then disappeared
In front of the ATM closest to the building, a yellow DeWalt 36-inch wrecking bar was found in front of the damaged machine as well as a green 36-inch steel pry bar. A red Hyper Touch 36-inch steel pry bar was also found in front of the other ATM closest to Cleophus. Officers collected the chains and pry bars as evidence, and photographs were taken of the scene.
A bank employee arrived at the site where she was provided a report number and advised to contact her manager to secure the damaged machines.
Police were unable to access security video footage for the employee, but were told they could contact the bank security to obtain it.
Both of the Ford F-250 Super Duty trucks were later recovered in Lincoln Park.