Man tried to steal cash machine using a forklift truck

A MEMBER of a gang of ram raiders who tried to smash a cash machine using a forklift truck was yesterday jailed for six and a half years

At the High Court in Glasgow 32-year-old Richard McGrath admitted – while acting with others – repeatedly driving a fork lift truck into a wall at in Main Street, Cleland, Lanarkshire, on 4 November 4, 2008 and attempting to steal a cash machine and £15,880 in cash.

The court heard that the would-be robbers made no attempt to keep the noise down as they tried to smash the cash machine out of the hole in the wall at 2:15am. Residents in neighbouring houses were wakened by banging and scraping sounds as the bucket of the forklift truck smashed into the wall.

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The ram raiders also had the yellow flashing lights on top of the machine activated.

Advocate depute Stephen O’Rourke, prosecuting, said: “At least three people were involved in the attempted theft and only Mr McGrath was caught.”

Police arrived and saw the men trying to load the cash machine into a van before driving off leaving it behind. McGrath was found hiding in a garden.

Judge Lady Stacey told McGrath: “You attempted to steal an ATM machine. A strange attempt with a forklift truck.”