Thieves smash into rural Alberta bank with stolen front-end loader
A bank in rural Alberta is caved in after thieves crashed into the storefront Sunday morning.
Around 3 a.m., the local ATB branch in Warburg, Alta., was raided by three suspects.
RCMP says the group first stole a large pickup truck and a front-end loader from the Warburg Village Yard. They then set their sights on the bank, ramming the side of the building and getting away with a small amount of cash.
"My first thought was a tornado had come through Warburg," said Gord Enders, branch owner. "(They) basically just pushed in the front of the building."
Janette Barager works at her small business across the street.
"I was just devastated to see that," Barager said, sharing how other businesses in the community have been victims of robberies.
"How many times do we have to go through this," she added. "I'm very worried because the economy is really bad right now, and this is not only going to be bad for my store but the whole community of Warburg."
By Monday afternoon, engineers were on-site inspecting the ceiling and walls to determine the extent of the damage.
"We're committed to Warburg," Enders said. "We will be back open ASAP."
For now, his five employees have been relocated to the Calmar branch as a new building could take several months.
Mounties released surveillance images of three of the suspects in the hopes someone could help identify them. Officers say the stolen pick-up truck they used is a black 2007 Ford F350 with Alberta licence plate VBK19.
One suspect is described as a heavy-set male that is about 6 feet tall, has thick shoulders, and wore light brown style coveralls, a black sweater, and a dark hat.
The second suspect is described as a male with a skinny build, is about 6 feet tall, and wore dark-coloured boots, pants, and jacket with white lettering on the left and right side.
The third suspect was not observed outside the vehicle by surveillance cameras.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Breton RCMP at 780-696-3520 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-22-8477.
Warburg is approximately 100 kilometres south of Edmonton.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.