Thieves used a stolen telehandler to ram into a Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Peebles and rip two cash machines from the wall, with the entire raid captured on film.
Dramatic footage shows the heavy machinery, which combines forklift blades with a crane's extended reach, dragging the ATMs from the bank before they were loaded onto a horsebox attached to a waiting pick-up truck.
Three men, all dressed in dark clothing, were seen helping with the operation in the Eastgate area of the Borders town during the early hours of Tuesday, September 29.
Vehicles Used in the Raid
Police say a grey Audi saloon, grey Isuzu D-Max pick-up towing a horsebox, and a Manitou telehandler entered the area at around 3am.
The telehandler was then used to ram the building and remove two cash machines, which were loaded onto the horsebox. The Isuzu pick-up and horsebox had previously been reported stolen, while the telehandler is also believed to have been stolen.
The forklift was left abandoned at the scene following the raid. The three male suspects were seen leaving the area in the Audi and pick-up, heading in the direction of Northgate.
Disruption and Police Appeal
The incident has caused significant disruption in the town, with the High Street closed to vehicles. Borders Buses said it cannot serve the nearby Eastgate bus stop until further notice.
Detective Inspector Keith Sinclair, of Dalkeith CID, said the raid was part of a string of targeted offences involving stolen vehicles.
He said: "This was clearly a planned series of crimes, involving stolen vehicles, to target the cash machines.
"Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace the suspects and officers are working through CCTV from the area and speaking to witnesses.
"I'd like to thank everyone who has come forward with information already and ask anyone else who can help to contact police.
"If you saw what happened, saw the vehicles before or after the theft or have any information on where the Audi, Isuzu pick-up, or horsebox may be now, please let us know.
"I'd also ask anyone with private CCTV, doorbell or dash-cam equipment to review their footage and bring anything of significance to our attention."
Similar Incident in Coldstream
The brazen theft bears similarities to another ATM raid in the Scottish Borders earlier this year, when thieves used a tractor to rip a cash machine from a Co-op store in Coldstream.
Footage from that February incident showed a hooded man operating the tractor before the ATM was lifted onto the roof of a waiting Nissan Navara.
Police later recovered the cash machine along with the tractor and Nissan Navara, which were seized for forensic examination.
It is not currently known whether the two incidents are connected, but the similarities in the use of heavy machinery and waiting vehicles are likely to form part of police enquiries.
The latest incident has left a gaping opening at the RBS branch and debris around the scene. RBS has been contacted for comment.
