Full Breakdown
ATM Heist Shocks Peebles: Two RBS Machines Stolen in Nighttime Ram Raid
By Drooid · · How we work
The Nighttime Ram Raid
Around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, a grey Audi saloon, a grey Isuzu D-Max pick-up towing a horsebox, and a Manitou telehandler entered the Eastgate area of Peebles, Scottish Borders. The telehandler was used to ram the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) branch on the town’s High Street, breaking through the façade and extracting two cash-machine (ATM) units from the wall. The machines were then loaded onto the horsebox, which was waiting nearby. The telehandler was abandoned at the scene, and the three male suspects—wearing dark clothing—were seen fleeing in the Audi and pick-up toward Northgate.
Vehicles and Equipment Used
- Grey Audi saloon – identified as one of the getaway vehicles.
- Grey Isuzu D-Max pick-up – towing a horsebox that carried the stolen ATMs; both the pick-up and horsebox had been reported stolen prior to the incident.
- Manitou telehandler – employed to ram the bank and lift the ATMs; also believed to have been stolen and left on the street after the raid.
Police Response and Appeal
Officers are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and have appealed to anyone who captured the vehicles on private cameras, doorbells, or dash-cams to contact Police Scotland on 101 (reference 0303 of 29 September) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Impact on Peebles
The raid forced the closure of Peebles High Street to vehicular traffic. Borders Buses announced that service to the nearby Eastgate bus stop was suspended until further notice, and traffic was diverted around the town centre, causing congestion on surrounding roads. Pedestrians retained access to the Eastgate side of the street and the junction at Costa Coffee.
On-the-Ground Reports
Social-media footage captured the telehandler ramming the building, the forklift lifting the ATMs, and a figure in black directing the operation before the machines were lowered onto the horsebox. Debris, bricks, and glass were strewn across the pavement, and the abandoned telehandler remained at the scene.
