A Florida man was arrested recently after he was in a stolen excavator trying to steal an ATM at a bank right beside a police station, according to authorities.
The man didn’t seem to care he was tearing out the ATM so close to police. He later told officers, “I would rather rob a bank than work for my brother.”
DeFuniak Springs Police reported April 22 on Facebook that an officer saw the man and excavator trying to take the ATM “right beside the police department.”
“When the officer attempted contact with the subject, he fled the scene,” the post said.
Police were able to obtain video footage and identify a suspect. A 43-year-old man was interviewed. According to police, he admitted to stealing the excavator and trying to take the ATM. He indicated it was worth it if he didn’t have to work for his brother.
The man was charged with grand theft of construction equipment, criminal mischief over $1,000, and burglary of a structure with property damage. His bail was set at $7,500.
The aftermath of the attempted ATM theft by excavator.DeFuniak Springs Police
- A Florida man went on a rampage with a stolen excavator September 11, 2023, in Gainesville, eventually crashing into a Walmart and doing $2 million worth of damage. The Komatsu excavator valued at $350,000 was stolen from a construction company after being hotwired, according to police and media reports. A 47-year-old suspect was charged with grand theft, property damage and resisting arrest.
- And most recently, detectives investigating a stolen dump truck March 18, 2025, wound up finding eight trucks reported stolen from Florida, South Carolina and Georgia and rebranded to another company, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. A 40-year-old Florida man was arrested after seen altering a truck’s vehicle identification number at what the Sheriff’s Office called a chop shop.
For contractors who want to protect their equipment – whether they live in Florida or not – check out these tips from a Palm Beach County sheriff’s detective by clicking here.
