Police are investigating another case in which a truck was used to steal an ATM from a business.

This time the thief made off with at least one ATM from the Stampede Corral in Kitchener.

“The suspects involved in this used a pickup truck to access the building and remove the ATM from the facility,” said Waterloo Regional Police spokesperson Alana Holtom.

Damage to the building exterior is extensive. The thieves smashed their way through  the front window and pulled the ATM out of the back door, leaving it shattered.  Debris lay scattered across the parking lot Wednesday morning, including pieces of the ATM and the receipt paper from inside it.

It’s the latest in a series of similar thefts that have happened over the last month.

In Guelph, an ATM was pulled out of a strip club by a pick-up truck and dragged before it became dislodged on Wellington Street. The thieves got away.

The following week, a truck drove through the Kitchener Auditorium and took off with two ATMs.

“As part of our investigation, we need to look at the methodology behind these. Obviously there are quite a few similarities between recent incidents both locally and in other jurisdictions,” said Holtom

ATM thefts have been taking place in significant numbers around the country as well.

“There has been a rash in the last couple months. We are not exactly sure what’s driving it,” said ATM Industry Association executive director Curt Binns.

“We’ve had a fair number out west, most recently in small towns around Edmonton. There was some activity in Kelowna. “   

Binns said thieves are often targeting standalone machines only, that are typically located near the front door of the premises. He adds that getting into the machines is not difficult; there is usually only a one inch plate steel box that contains the cash.

There is no set amount of money that is in any ATM.  Binns said it could have hundreds to thousands of dollars.

In all three local ATM thefts there have been no arrests made. However, Waterloo Regional Police say that have found a white truck that was used in the Stampede Corral heist.

The number of ATM thefts is concerning for police. They are asking anyone with any information to please contact them or Crime Stoppers.