Thieves Use U-Haul Truck in Failed Drive-Thru ATM Theft at Boston Bank

BOSTON, MA — Boston Police are investigating an audacious, early-morning attempted ATM heist where suspects utilized a rented U-Haul cargo truck to tear down a drive-thru cash machine at a local bank branch.

The incident occurred on May 30, 2024, when a group of masked individuals pulled into the bank's drive-thru lane. According to investigators, the suspects wrapped heavy-duty chains around the automated teller machine (ATM) and hooked the other end to the rear bumper of a U-Haul truck. The driver then accelerated in an attempt to violently yank the machine free from its concrete anchor.

The brute-force tactic caused severe structural damage to the ATM housing and the drive-thru canopy, but the vault containing the cash cassettes remained intact and securely anchored. Realizing the attempt had failed and likely triggered silent alarms, the suspects detached the chains, abandoned their plan, and fled the scene in the U-Haul truck, which was later found abandoned a few blocks away.

"This was a highly disruptive and dangerous attempt that caused thousands of dollars in property damage but ultimately yielded nothing for the perpetrators," a Boston Police spokesperson stated. Area detectives are examining the recovered rental truck for forensic clues and reviewing security footage from the bank and surrounding intersections to track the suspect's escape path. No injuries were reported, and the bank branch closed its drive-thru lane temporarily to facilitate repairs and clean-up operations.