How not to rob a bank
SOME dumb criminals gave up a lot more than their dignity when they tried to use an electric winch to steal an ATM at Collingwood Park.
Firefighters and police were called to a shopping centre on Eagle St at 11.10pm on Sunday after receiving reports of a car on fire.
It later emerged the vehicle had been involved in the attempted theft of a Suncorp ATM near the entrance to the Woolworths supermarket.
Police said the occupants of a gold four-wheel-drive Holden utility with false number plates had earlier tried to jemmy open a door beside the machine.
When this failed, they hooked an electric winch, which was mounted to the tray on the back of the vehicle, to the ATM and attempted to pull the machine right out of its solid foundations.
Police believe the winch overheated and caught fire, with the blaze quickly consuming the vehicle.
The offenders fled on foot, leaving the burning vehicle behind.
Ipswich CIB acting detective Senior Sergeant Dave Tolsher said the vehicle used in the offence had been reported stolen at the end of April.
"Since then it has been significantly modified," Snr Sgt Tolsher said.
"We believe it has been modified specifically for the commission of this offence.
"They have gone to a lot of effort - put it that way."
A crew of firefighters from Camira station attended, but the car was well alight when they arrived and it took them more than half an hour to extinguish the blaze.
The adjacent shopping centre was not damaged by the flames.
Forensic officers and detectives from Ipswich were called in to investigate the attempted theft.
Due to the significant fire damage, police had to call in experts from Brisbane to successfully identify the vehicle engine and chassis number.
There was no closed circuit television footage available from the scene.
Investigations are continuing.
Anyone with information that could assist police should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
