A brazen ATM theft attempt in Tobago has added to growing concerns across the Caribbean about increasingly bold criminal activity.

Police in Tobago are investigating an early-morning incident in Plymouth on Wednesday in which thieves allegedly stole a backhoe and used it in an attempt to tear an ATM from a commercial building.

According to regional reports, two masked men confronted estate constables at the YMCA and Beach Sports Facility in Courland and demanded the keys to a Caterpillar backhoe and a Mazda truck. The suspects then reportedly drove the vehicles to Supreme Plaza on Shelbourne Street, where a First Citizens Bank ATM was located.

Investigators said the men used the backhoe to smash into the building and attempted to remove the ATM’s vault. Surveillance footage reportedly captured the operation, which lasted only a few minutes but caused extensive damage to the structure.

The incident comes amid a series of high-profile robberies across the region, including several recent cases in Antigua and Barbuda.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: TOBAGO: Masked Thieves Use Stolen Backhoe in Daring ATM Heist Attempt.