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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.