Epic fail as thieves dig underground to get to ATM

14 February 2018 - 11:40 By Jeff Wicks
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
All the robbers' hard work came to nothing, as their plot to rob an ATM had a major hole in it.
All the robbers' hard work came to nothing, as their plot to rob an ATM had a major hole in it.
Image: Supplied by SAPS

In a heist reminiscent of the movie The Italian Job‚ a group of burglars navigated hundreds of meters of subterranean sewerage tunnel and a storm drain before they exited through the floor of a shop in Ladysmith on Monday night.

Despite their precision‚ which saw the burrowers emerging within an arm's length of an ATM‚ the men escaped only with a handful of groceries.

It is understood that after hours of wading through the tunnels‚ excavating underground and then breaking their way through the concrete floor‚ the men were unable to breach the cash machine.

A source with knowledge of the investigation‚ who spoke to TimesLIVE on condition of anonymity‚ said that the burglars had moved through nearly 300m of sewer pipe and then 4m of soil.

“They came out at exactly in the right spot right in front of the ATM. It is amazing that they managed to do it with such accuracy. Once they were in‚ they struggled to cut through the outer layer of steel of the ATM‚” he said.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed that police were investigating the burglary.

“The perpetrators caused damage to the premises and stole various items of groceries. Ladysmith police are investigating a case of business burglary‚” she said.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now