Thieves broke open an ATM machine in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Phu District and stole more than VND1 billion (US$51,000) on Friday.

According to eyewitnesses, the ATM’s money box was cracked, and a lot of fingerprints were spotted on the glass of the ATM booth.

The machine belongs to Techcombank’s transaction office on Le Trong Tan Street.

District police said the thieves may have used a welding equipment to cut open the money box.

A Techcombank officer said the bank put money into the machine a day before; therefore, the thieves must have followed their moves and broke into the booth at midnight or early Friday morning.

It was the third time that thieves broke into ATM booths in HCMC to steal money in the last two months.

On October 21, they took away VND822 million ($42,000) from a cash machine on Cong Hoa Street in Tan Binh District with similar tricks.

The same day, three thieves attempted to cut open an ATM machine on Truong Chinh Street, but they fled the scene after being caught by security officers.
Source: Tuoi Tre