Man's idea to break Kan. ATM less than smashing

[November 25, 2008]  LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) -- Police in Leavenworth, Kan., say a thief who tried to bust an ATM open like a giant piggy bank is lucky to be in one piece himself.

They say the 49-year-old pried an ATM loose from a credit union early Sunday by using a stolen skid loader. Then, in a bid to break open the 3,000-pound cash machine, the man used the skid loader to drop it down a 50-foot wooded embankment.

Police Chief Patrick Kitchens says the problem is, when the ATM fell, the skid loader and the thief plummeted right along with it.

The man was found trapped inside the battered machine and was taken to a hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening, but Kitchens says he could end up facing federal charges.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com/

[Associated Press]

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