Toronto Police are still looking for two suspects and a grey SUV after an attempted robbery at a drive-through bank machine in East York.
Police said that no arrests have been made to date, and that the case and that the investigation is still ongoing since the explosion in late January.
A spokesperson for Toronto Police Service said this kind of attempted theft was not typical.
“I do not recall an attempt to breach an ATM this way in Toronto,” said Toronto police service member Victor Kwong. “Anytime there is explosives used, it could present a threat to public safety. We urge people to report suspicious activity.”
At around 4:45 a.m. on Jan. 28, an explosion rang off in the quiet neighbourhood of the TD Canada Trust bank branch located at 801 O’Connor Drive, near St. Clair Avenue East.
According to police, a grey SUV pulled up to the branch and allegedly set up an explosive device against the back part of the drive-through ATM.
Two men then exited the vehicle and waited nearby behind cover as the SUV went and parked nearby.
The ATM is separate from the building, with a parking lot between the two.
Police said around 10 minutes after, the explosive device went off at the drive-through machine.
They then said the two men rushed the machine, “only to find that the cash box was not breached,” according to CTV News.
Kwong said there are multiple factors that need to be considered in a crime like this, when asked if the bank being in a residential area made it a target.
“Yes, there will be more banks in areas of higher population, and therefore more ATMs, but other factors include escape routes, places familiar to the suspects, lighting, concealment and other environmental designs.
“Therefore, a residential area is not solely the causation,” he said.
The Toronto Police explosive disposal and K9 units were dispatched to the scene the afternoon of the incident. Toronto Fire department also dispatched its explosive, chemical, hazmat, biological, radiological and nuclear units to the scene to assist police in the ongoing investigation.
On Jan. 29, the following day forensic units were still working the scene while police were doing searches on rooftops of the bank and neighbouring businesses.
“Bank robberies do occur, but very rarely are ATMs and things of that nature broken into in such a loud and conspicuous way which in this case was an explosive device,” Kwong said.
TD bank did not respond to requests for comment.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.222tips.com.