‘Backhoe bandits’: N.L. mayor growing tired of ATM thefts

Mount Pearl, N.L. — Near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Centennial Street in Mount Pearl, N.L., sits a series of three construction projects.

The middle of the three is planned — a restaurant and drive-thru under construction on the city’s busiest main street. To each side sits a bank, both in different stages of reconstruction after being targeted and damaged by thieves with heavy machinery.

On Monday morning, police believe thieves broke into a Royal Bank of Canada branch in Mount Pearl by using heavy machinery to tear down an outside wall and grab an ATM sitting inside.

Back in September, two doors down the road, a similar break-and-enter at the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union. Police can’t say whether the same group is suspected to be responsible for both incidents — but the method and the result appear to be the same. A bank ATM ripped up from inside a building with heavy machines, and destruction in its wake.

“It just seems to me that it’s getting a little bit out of hand,” said Mount Pearl Mayor Dave Aker. “A lot of ‘copycat-ing’, if that’s a word, going on.”

“I think we need to put a stop to it. It’s repetitious behaviour.”

What are ‘backhoe bandits’?

These thieves have started to become known in Newfoundland and Labrador as “backhoe bandits”. The crimes are so visible — and somehow, so common — that they’ve inspired countless online memes.

Three times in the past month, banks have been hit in Eastern Newfoundland in the same way.

A big part of the issue, according to Aker, is the proliferation of universal keys — single keys that can be used to open and operate multiple different vehicles under the same brand name. Some of those keys can be bought at in-person retailers or online.

Aker said his city’s older equipment can be used that way, but his council has taken steps to increase security, by having all those older model machines stored in a more secured lot.

Now he’s calling on neighbouring councils and the provincial government to work together to find a solution, whether by using occupational health and safety enforcement, permitting procedures, or something else.

“There has to be some requirements put in place from an authority that says these machines can’t just be packed up and left there for anybody to walk up to and possibly use,” he said.

“All these vehicles are registered with motor vehicles, so perhaps there’s some regulatory changes that can be made.”

‘Certainly suspicious’

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has also taken the step of asking contractors and other business owners who may possess heavy equipment to step up security themselves.

“We’re stressing the importance of security,” said Const. James Cadigan, a spokesperson for the force. “Whether it be securing the cabs, putting locking mechanisms, decreasing access, even alarm systems,” he added.

They’re also asking for anyone who may have seen backhoes or excavators travelling down the street late at night to come forward and speak with investigators.

“This is not equipment being used this time of year for snow clearing,” Cadigan added.

“To see this being operated overnight is certainly suspicious.”

Aker said backhoes, excavators and other types of heavy equipment are dangerous to operate, especially in the hands of untrained people.

“As this escalates, eventually somebody is going to get hurt. It could have been cleaners in that building last night, there could have been overnight security there,” he said.

“If this escalates to the daytime, there’s a greater danger to the public.”