Group uses stolen truck, chain to break into ATM in Hickory

HICKORY, N.C. — The Hickory Police Department is looking for three people in connection with an ATM robbery on Thursday morning.

Police say the group used a stolen Ford F-350 truck with a logging chain to pull apart the ATM and steal the cash inside. The truck used was stolen hours earlier from a downtown Hickory parking lot; officers found the truck, still running, a few blocks away from the ATM.

ALSO READ: CMPD charges man accused of shooting, killing woman at ATM in University City

The owner of the truck said he didn’t find out about the theft until police recovered the stolen truck a few blocks from the credit union.

“It was real crazy,” said Joe Fox, the owner of the truck. “Needless to say, I was real upset about that. Especially about getting up at 5 a.m. to go get my truck.”

The owners of DK Tree Service in Hickory said logging chains can pull up to 40,000 pounds.

“They’re pretty brave, is what they are,” said James Cope, with DK Tree Service. “It’s pretty daring for sure. It’s possible with a good chain.”

Investigators said they don’t know how much money was taken.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty went to the Members Credit Union in northeast Hickory and spoke with customers who were shocked at the damage caused.

“That’s unbelievable,” credit union customer Maria Blanco said Thursday. “I think it unbelievable. You’d never think that it would be in your neighborhood. I use this all the time so I’m shocked”

Faherty learned that there have been several ATM break-ins across western North Carolina, including one last week at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.

(WATCH BELOW: Customers on alert as authorities look for people accused of skimming bank cards at local ATMs)