There is a certain kind of crime that looks simple on paper but falls apart the moment reality kicks in. What likely started as a quick, smash-and-grab style plan turned into something very different early Friday morning.
In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, police say a group of would-be thieves used two stolen pickup trucks and heavy chains in an attempt to rip an ATM from the ground. It was bold, loud, and anything but subtle.
It was the kind of plan that depends on everything going right. It didn’t.
According to the Murfreesboro Police Department, the suspects damaged the machine and the protective barriers around it, but they were unable to access any money before abandoning both trucks and fleeing the scene.
Two Trucks, One Plan, and a Very Fast Exit
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Police say the attempted theft happened around 4:30 a.m. at a Chase Bank on Memorial Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found a red pickup truck still at the scene with a heavy-duty gold chain attached to the damaged ATM.
A second truck, a black pickup, was located abandoned nearby at Haynes Haven Lane and James Drive. That vehicle also had a chain attached, suggesting a coordinated effort to pull the machine free using both trucks simultaneously.
Investigators later determined that both pickups had been stolen in Davidson County.
Detectives believe the suspects hooked chains not only to the ATM but also to the protective bollards surrounding it, likely trying to overwhelm the structure with combined force. The approach suggests planning and at least some understanding of how these machines are secured.
It still wasn’t enough.
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This Isn’t New—but It Is Growing
While this attempt failed, the tactic itself is becoming increasingly common.
From what we could find, ATM thefts have risen sharply in recent years, with FBI data in industry reporting showing incidents jumping from just 31 in 2019 to more than 250 by 2021.
Insurance data points in the same direction. Claims tied to ATM thefts increased significantly during that period as well, with some estimates showing steep year-over-year growth and far higher totals than pre-2020 levels.
The method described by the Murfreesboro Police Department, using stolen trucks, chains, and brute force, matches what experts have identified as the most common approach in these cases. These jobs are often quick, sometimes taking just minutes, with suspects abandoning vehicles shortly after.
What has changed is how widespread it appears to be. What once showed up in isolated metro crime sprees is now being reported across a much broader range of communities.
The Internet Weighs In
As the police department’s post circulated online, the comment section quickly turned into a mix of armchair investigation and dark humor.
One commenter focused on the chain itself, suggesting there might be a trail to follow:
“I would check Tractor Supply and see if someone recalls selling grade 70 chain… only so many places carry that.”
Another gave credit to the ATM’s design:
“We have to send big thanks to the company [that] designed this ATM. Thief’s worked hard like …!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Others leaned into the absurdity. “Let me get that chain,” one person joked, while another shrugged off the entire situation with a comment about insurance and money supply.
And then there were the more grounded reactions, with at least one local tying the story back to broader frustrations: “How expensive it is to live here ugh.”
Even when the crime fails, the conversation rarely does.
Investigation Ongoing
Police say the investigation is ongoing and are asking residents in the Haynes Haven Lane and James Drive areas to check their doorbell or surveillance camera footage for any images of the suspects or the vehicle they used to leave the scene.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Aaron Gonzalez at 629-201-5638.
For now, all that remains is a damaged ATM, two stolen, abandoned trucks, and a plan that required everything to go right—and didn’t.