Thieves steal front-end loader to haul off ATM

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 22, 2004

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TAMPA - Sheriff's investigators are looking for whoever stole a front-end loader from a construction site and used it to haul away an ATM from a nearby grocery store in Keysville.

According to a sheriff's report, an unknown number of people entered a construction site across the road from the Five Star Grocery Store, 8505 County Road 39 S, between 1:30 and 5 a.m. Tuesday. They stole the front-end loader, drove it through a fence and smashed through the front window and wall of the grocery.

Then they hauled the ATM away on the loader, sheriff's investigators said. Deputies found the loader at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the north side of Keysville Road in an orange grove, about 2 miles from the grocery. Authorities have not yet recovered the ATM machine.

"We've had smash and grabs where they've busted out windows," said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter. "But it's kind of unusual that they would steal a front-end loader and smash out the front window."