UPDATE
Five bungling burglars are on the run after a breaking into a Cairnlea shopping centre over night in a failed attempt to steal an ATM.
Police were able to track their movements by following a trail of debris left behind after the would-be thieves arrived at the Cairnlea Village Shopping Centre in four cars just after 2am.
One of the men reversed a car into the front entrance of the shopping centre, smashing the glass, while another three seized a Commonwealth Bank ATM, causing more than $10,000 worth of damage in the process.
Sunshine police constable Joe Halloran said it was “quite a stupid crime”.
“They have driven their cars through the western entrance causing extensive damage,” he said.
“They have driven over the ATM to knock it off its stand.
“It appears they haven’t been able to breach the ATM, in this day and age it’s nearly impossible to get into these ATMs.”
After failing to lift the machine into the back of a white 1995 Toyota Hiace, the crooks tied it to the back of a blue 1989 Nissan patrol and drove off.
“They then attached a towing rope to the ATM which has been attached to the (Nissan) patrol car and been reversed out of the centre dragging the ATM behind with it,” he said.
Police believe they travelled along Carmody Drive, Lakewood Boulevard, Grovedale Circuit and Breadalbane Avenue before dumping the ATM near the Kororoit Creek in Kimberley Road.
The thieves then abandoned the Nissan and Toyota at Gurbung Drive and drove off towards Greensborough along the Western Ring Road.
“Clearly these guys didn’t think too much about it… it was a bit of a Hansel and Gretel trail just following the pieces all the way, which was 1.7 kilometres (to Kimberly Road).”
“It was one (crime) which was quite stupid, they never had much luck.
“Other than a few sore backs from trying to pick up the ATM, they have gone home empty handed.”
The men could have been responsible for a second failed ram raid burglary in Bundoora later this morning.
with Alex Ferarro
