News

Truth is stranger than fiction in some ATM news

Thank goodness for guys like Cory Pickett. In a year dominated by concerns over increased card fraud and regulatory mandates like Triple DES, characters like the would-be thief nabbed while trying to steal an empty ATM provided some much-needed comic relief for those in the ATM industry.

January 7, 2003

Thank goodness for guys like Cory Pickett.

In a year dominated by concerns over increased card fraud and regulatory mandates like Triple DES, characters like Pickett -- a 32-year-old would-be ATM thief apprehended by Chicago police in August -- provided some much-needed comic relief for those in the ATM industry.

Pickett and two accomplices broke into a closed Southeast Side Chicago restaurant on Aug. 22 and wrestled an ATM from its bolts -- only to find it wouldn't fit in the back seat of their 1993 Cadillac DeVille.

They shoved the ATM into the car as best they could, according to a report in the Chicago Sun Times, and prepared to take off with the car's rear door half open and the machine hanging out.

Their plans were thwarted, however, when a police officer driving by spotted the trio. After a short foot chase, they nabbed Pickett.

What the burglars didn't know was that even if the theft had been successful, their efforts would have been wasted. The machine was empty.

"They went through all that hassle for nothing," waitress Tammy Katsenis told the Sun Times. The ATM had been out of order -- and money -- for two years.

Though the machine did not have an "out of order' sign, Katsenis said it was unplugged and unlit. She said the machine had broken down and the company that installed it had gone out of business. Ever since, the restaurant's owner had been trying to find a way to get rid of it.

It also turned out the alleged burglars' Cadillac was stolen from Nashville, Tenn. Pickett, of Chicago, was charged with burglary and possession of a stolen auto and burglary tools. The other two suspects remained at large, although authorities said they knew the pair's street names and hoped to locate them.

Here are some of the other more humorous ATM-related stories from 2002:

What the blazes?: Burglars who tried to use oxy-acetylene equipment to steal an ATM in Launceston, Australia in early January fled when the money caught fire and activated a fire alarm.

The incident occurred at shopping center, where thieves forced open doors to gain access to a Westpac ATM, which was situated close to a Woolworths supermarket.

Sergeant Pat Groves said police and firefighters found abandoned oxy gear and a stolen utility vehicle which had apparently been used in the attempted theft. The vehicle was stolen from a nearby business, but police did not know the origin of the oxy equipment, which was used to attempt to cut the machine away from its secure position.

What the blazes, Part II: In another fiery attempted heist in Australia, two hapless thieves in Sydney abandoned a stolen ATM on April 30 when the cash inside became hot enough to burst into flames.

According to a police report published in the Daily Telegraph, two people apparently drove a stolen truck through the window of a service station on a quiet street in Penrith, a suburb of Sydney, at about 4 a.m. They attached chains to the ATM and dragged it from the building and down the road.

With sparks flying as the metal safe scraped along the road, the thieves drove through four suburbs. The heat generated by the friction caused the ATM to catch fire.

Police were contacted by an alert citizen who witnessed the truck dragging the ATM. After following gouges left in the road for several miles, they found the ATM -- still ablaze and attached to the truck. The thieves were nowhere in sight.

"The joke is on the offenders, because the cash all went up in flames," Penrith police Inspector Bruce Ritchie told the Telegraph.

Honesty pays (sort of): Christina Bianchi, a 23-year-old hostess at a karaoke bar, in March returned $10,000 to a branch of CIBC the day after she found it where it had apparently been left by an armored car driver.

On her way home from work in Hamilton, Ontario, Bianchi pulled up to a CIBC ATM at about 2 a.m. on March 5. As she parked, she saw a package on the ground near the curb in front of the bank's door. She took the bag, drove home and woke her parents to tell them what she'd found. After counting it, they discovered they had $10,000.

Meanwhile, the armored truck from Universal ATM Services had driven back to the parking lot five minutes after leaving, looked for the missing money and alerted the bank when drivers were unable to locate it.

The next day, Bianchi and her parents returned to the bank with the money. Bianchi mentioned that she had thought about applying for a loan when she was in the branch the prior week. Within an hour of returning the cash, a $7,000 loan was approved.

An investigator from Universal ATM Services presented Bianchi with a letter of thanks and a $500 cash reward. Bianchi planned to use the reward and the loan to help buy a used car to replace her 1986 Toyota Tercel.

No walk in the parking garage: Two freestanding ATMs took a licking, and left a couple of emptyhanded -- and probably ticked off -- would-be thieves at a San Francisco parking garage in the early hours of March 10.

According to a San Francisco Examiner report, a nicely-dressed Asian woman approached an attendant at the five-story White House Parking Garage around 3 a.m., saying she didn't feel comfortable going to her car alone.

The 38-year-old male attendant agreed to accompany her to the second floor. There, he was jumped by two apparent accomplices, a blond white male wielding a knife and a black male, both wearing gloves and ski masks.

They took the attendant back to the first floor, tied his hands behind his back with tape and locked him inside the restroom near two ATMs. The trio then used a white Ford van to bash the ATMs to pieces -- but the safes held, faring better than the alignment on the would-be getaway van.

They are believed to have fled on foot, leaving several hundred unsecured dollars in the attendant's booth.

"It's very unusual," robbery inspector Stephen Morimoto told the Examiner. "I know of no other cases like this."

Police said another parking lot employee discovered the attendant about 5:36 a.m., shaken but physically unharmed. All that is left where the ATMs once stood are two gaping holes, a bashed-in wall and tire marks.

"They had a plan, but I don't think they did a lot of background work," Morimoto said. "They thought these machines would explode and all this money would come flying out."

What the blazes, Part III: According to a March report in African Eye News Service, an arson case against Joseph Lekalakala, 47, was postponed until April 17 because he remained under psychological observation in a hospital following a Feb. 7 incident in which he allegedly torched a Standard Bank ATM. He was caught as he was about to burn two more.

Lekalakala, a member of Zionist Christian Church, told police he was acting against "evil" machines under instructions from Zionist Christian Church leader, bishop Barnabas Lekganyane.

Standard Bank estimated damages, including the incinerated cash, at 10 million rand (about $1.1 million U.S.)

ATM inside, worship here: KV Kamath, chief executive of India's ICICI Bank, introduced the bank's first ATM in the holy hills of Tirumala (the richest temple in India) on April 30, according to a report in the Times of India.

The ATM will enable the bank's customers to make online offerings to Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD), which runs the temple, according to the report. The bank also announced its intent facilitate online donation through the Internet.

Kamath told reporters that a similar set-up was being planned with several other temples.

Misguided rage: An anonymous caller to a radio station claimed responsibility for firebomb attacks on two ATMs in Athens, Greece on May 15, saying the attacks were launched in opposition to "police terrorism," including increased use of surveillance cameras.

According to an Associated Press report, tighter security measures -- which are expected to grow as the 2004 Olympics approach  -- have been criticized by the Greek Communist Party.

No one was hurt in either attack, the first at an ATM owned by Piraeus Bank in central Athens, and another blast at an ATM owned by the Aspis Bank.

Misguided rage, Part II: A man who authorities believe to be a Canadian national damaged an ATM at a Knoxville, Tenn., convenience store with a large Samurai sword on May 25, according to a report in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Police said Richard Mark Plantagenet, 24, walked into the Shell convenience store at midnight and started hacking the machine with a 4-foot-long Samurai sword, upsetting several customers who were inside the store.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested Plantagenet, who originally gave police another name. Authorities confirmed his identity, however, through fingerprints provided by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the FBI.

Police believe Plantagenet was in the country illegally. No motive was given for the attack.

Ahoy matey, get cash here: According to a July report in the London Times, Disney is considering promoting "Pirates of the Caribbean," a film based on one of the most popular rides at Disney World, through promotional deals with major UK banks - including possibly film trailers playing on ATM screens.

While the film isn't scheduled for release until the summer 2003, the studio is already formulating a marketing plan.

According to the Times, Disney has held talks with a number of UK banks, believed to include Lloyds TSB, Barclays, HBOS and the Nationwide Building Society.

In addition to film clips at ATMs, the promotional campaign could include Disney characters making appearances at branches.

What if I expire before my card?: India's Punjab National Bank (PNB) in August began issuing ATM cards with 48 years validity rather than the standard two years, according to the Times of India.

Bank officials told the Times it was not certain whether the cards would last for 48 years, or whether technological advancements would render them obsolete before then.

Random acts of commerce: Also in August, American National Bank began inserting a few $50 bills in one of its ATM's $20 stacks and some twenties in a $10 stack as part of a special "road warrior" promotion.

According to an Associated Press report, the bonus cash was dispensed at random to ease the annoyance of travelers driving through a road construction project at a busy Omaha, Neb., intersection.

Bank spokeswoman Alisia Fava said officials hoped the gesture might ease drivers' moods, but it appears the bank benefited too. Traffic at the ATM nearly doubled in the first week after the promotion began.

I've heard of traffic jams, but this is ridiculous: Australian police were looking for a thief who loaded an ATM onto a bright yellow forklift truck and then drove off down a busy Melbourne street during rush-hour on Aug. 19, according to a Yahoo News report.

Several people who questioned the man during the heist were told he was taking the ATM away for servicing.

After removing the ATM from the foyer of a shopping center, witnesses said he covered the machine in black plastic and drove off down the street in the forklift, holding up a long line of traffic.

He eventually loaded the ATM onto an unidentified vehicle and got away, police said. Police appealed to the motorists who were stuck behind the forklift for more information.

Th-th-that's marketing: In an attempt to gain a greater share of the youth market, South Africa's Standard Bank in September formed a partnership with Warner Brothers to produce cartoon branded ATM and debit cards.

According to an article in the Business Report, the new product, to be called (sum)1, will be aimed at people below the age of 24. Standard Bank estimated that market to be in the region of 1.75 million people, and said it already has 360,000 such account holders.

Just over 50 percent of South Africa's population is younger than 18 years, though only 1 million people in the youth category are banked, leaving 40 percent of the market unbanked. According to the Business Report, research showed that 87 percent of young people opened bank accounts where their parents banked and that 67 percent continued to use brands with which they grew up.

The bank plans to spend 4.5 million rand (approximately $424,800 U.S.) on a marketing campaign to introduce the branded card.

Barn burnin', ATM thievin' varmints: Two Mukwonago, Wis., men who went on a crime spree seemingly inspired by the old "Dukes of Hazzard" television show were charged with theft in the Green Bay division of U.S. district court on Sept. 5, according to a report in the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Jarred Dillaber, 27, and Joseph Boothe, 29, were accused of allegedly lashing ATMs to the back of their pickup and hauling them out into the countryside to break them open and remove cash.

The two traveled through nine Wisconsin counties and one Illinois county, set barns on fire to divert police and then hauled or tried to haul ATMs out of stores and gas stations, according to a four-count indictment against them.

The crime spree began in December 2001, when the pair stole a truck from the Waukesha County Parks Department and used it to haul an ATM from the Waukesha Expo Center. They broke open the machine, removed about $6,000, then dumped the empty ATM into a lake in nearby Jefferson County.

They failed in three more attempts to steal ATMs in December before getting a machine from a Waukesha County service station, taking about $4,800 from it and causing about $6,000 damage to the machine, according to the indictment.

In January, they hit upon the idea of setting a barn on fire in Mukwonago to create a distraction while they tried to steal one ATM and successfully stole another from a gas station. They also took three ATMs from two movie theaters and a restaurant.

In February, they burned a barn in Harvard, Ill., and stole an ATM, which they took back to Wisconsin. They also burned a barn in Lomira, then tried to steal an ATM from a gas station but were thwarted when the tow strap attached to a rented pickup truck broke.

They instead broke into a bank in rural Fond du Lac County and broke into drawers. After failing to find money, they broke into a Fond du Lac gas station, dragged an ATM away and pried it open, causing $6,500 damage and getting $3,360 from it.

On March 12, they stole two ATMs and a safe in Iron County, where they were finally apprehended by police.

Lights, camera, ATM: A Tranax Mini-Bank 2100 played a key role in the movie "Barbershop," which opened in theaters nationwide on Sept. 13

The ATM appears in the first scene of the film, which relates a day in the life of a group of characters that hang around a barbershop on Chicago's South Side, then turns up repeatedly in the movie.

A piece of animation on the film's promotional Web site even showed a figure, in profile, scurrying off with an ATM.

The Mini-Bank 2100 is ready for its close-up, as seen in the movie "Barbershop."

"A subplot involving a stolen ATM puts a heavy drag on the film's pacing -- almost as if the audience was forced to carry the thing," Deborah Hornblow of the Hartford Courant wrote in her review. But other critics welcomed the comic relief of the ATM story line, with Anthony Anderson and Lahmand Tate as the bumbling thieves.

Showing his cinema chops, the New York Post's Lou Lumenick pointed out in his review that the use of the ATM is based upon a Stan Laurel/Oliver Hardy short called "The Music Box."

Tranax provided MGM with a working Mini-Bank 2100 for close-ups and an empty shell for the scenes in which the thieves manhandle the ATM. The studio returned the real deal to Tranax after filming.

Unlike more high-profile movie product placements featuring sodas, liquor and other products, however, the Tranax logo is never visible.

No autographs, please: In October, hot on the heels of  "Barbershop," another Tranax ATM appeared in an Oct. 9 episode of the ABC TV series "MDs." (The show was cancelled last month.)

The Mini-Bank 1500 was seen in the lobby of the hospital where much of the show's action takes place.

Don't get mad, get even: A 71-year-old German inventor who designed a security system for ATMs that several banks rejected in October was convicted of counterfeiting bank cards, including one belonging to a judge working on his case.

According to an Associated Press report, the unidentified man on Oct. 11 was sentenced in Munich state court to four years and 10 months in prison for counterfeiting 671 cards and using them to make illegal withdrawals. The investigating judge was taken off the case after discovering she was among the victims.

Nicknamed "The Professor," the man secured a patent three years ago for a system to make cash withdrawals from bank ATMs more secure, but several banks allegedly turned it down because it was too expensive.

According to the AP, the disgruntled inventor then turned his expertise against the banks, faking the cards and withdrawing cash from ATMs.