ATM robber still on the run

PRICHARD, Ala. - The suspects who tried to steal an ATM in Prichard put in a lot of work, but they didn't get the pay-off they expected.

The drive-through ATM at Regions Bank on Wilson Avenue in Prichard was idle Tuesday, following Monday's robbery attempt.

Area bank president Joel Daves said the thieves struck during the early morning hours.

"Around 4:00 Monday morning, there were three individuals who tried to break into our ATM at our Prichard Branch, and they set off an alarm. The Prichard Police Department responded," Daves said.

The bank surveillance cameras first picked up the suspects at 3:48 a.m.

At first, the two suspects tried to break into the machine. After a few minutes they leave, and return with a car and a third suspect.

The three men again work on the machine. They don't seem to be concerned about the bank cameras, and they may not realize there's also a camera inside the ATM.

At some point, two of the suspects even take off their masks. You can see their faces on the surveillance camera that was inside the ATM.

The men repeatedly leave and return more than half a dozen times. They even resort to a blow torch in an attempt to cut through the metal machine.

After more than an hour, frustration sets in when one of the suspects literally kicks the machine.

Moments later police arrive and the suspects take off. After a brief chase two of the suspects are caught.

They are 19-year-old Edward Pettway and 18-year-old Marion Thomas. They're charged with burglary and criminal mischief.

In the middle of the night when it's dark, the bank is closed, and no one is around. An ATM machine might look like an easy target to a burglar, but bank officials say it's really not.

"It's very difficult to get into one of those. We have from time to time had people try to get into those machines, and they're very rarely, if ever successful in doing that," Daves said.

A lesson these three burglars learned the hard way.

The third suspect is still on the loose. If you have any information about the robbery attempt call Prichard Police.