Forklift Used to Tear Cash Machines from Peebles Bank in Daring Overnight Raid

Police in the Scottish Borders are hunting a gang of thieves who used a stolen telescopic forklift to smash open a bank and rip two cash machines from its walls before fleeing with the equipment on a horsebox.

The audacious raid took place at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on Eastgate in Peebles at around 03:00, prompting the closure of the town's High Street to vehicles while investigators combed the scene. The incident has shocked residents of the small Borders town, which is unaccustomed to serious organised crime of this nature.

According to Police Scotland, a grey Audi saloon, a grey Isuzu D-Max pick-up truck towing a horsebox, and a Manitou telehandler all entered the Eastgate area in the early hours of the morning. The telehandler — a heavy-duty telescopic forklift — was then used to ram the building, causing significant structural damage, before the two ATMs were wrenched free and loaded onto the waiting horsebox.

The forklift was abandoned at the scene, where it remained visible on Wednesday morning alongside debris strewn across the pavement and damage to nearby parked cars. Images from the town showed a large red telescopic forklift sitting outside the taped-off branch, with smashed windows and rubble scattered around the entrance.

Detectives believe the pick-up truck and horsebox had both been reported stolen prior to the raid, while the vehicle used to smash into the bank is also suspected to have been taken without the owner's consent. The Audi was seen leaving the area alongside the pick-up, heading in the direction of Northgate.

Three men, all dressed in dark clothing, were observed departing the scene in the two getaway vehicles. Police have not yet released descriptions beyond the clothing detail and have urged anyone who spotted the vehicles before or after the incident to come forward.

Det Insp Keith Sinclair described the operation as a "planned series of crimes, involving stolen vehicles, to target the cash machines". He confirmed that extensive inquiries were under way to trace the suspects, with officers working through CCTV footage from the surrounding area and speaking to witnesses.

"This was clearly a planned series of crimes, involving stolen vehicles, to target the cash machines," he said. "Extensive inquiries are ongoing to trace the suspects and officers are working through CCTV from the area and speaking to witnesses." He appealed directly to members of the public who may have information, or who may have seen any of the vehicles involved, to get in touch with police.

The raid has had an immediate impact on daily life in Peebles. Borders Buses confirmed that it would be unable to serve the nearby bus stop until further notice, and the High Street remained closed to vehicles as forensic teams continued their work. Local businesses and residents face disruption while the cordon remains in place.

The use of a telehandler as a battering ram reflects a growing trend in which criminal gangs deploy heavy plant machinery — often stolen from construction sites or agricultural premises — to defeat the physical defences of cash machines and building walls. Such equipment can generate enormous force, allowing offenders to extract ATMs far more quickly than traditional methods such as cutting or drilling.

Rural areas like Peebles can be particularly vulnerable to this type of crime. Police response times are longer than in urban centres, and the hours before dawn offer cover of darkness and quiet streets. The involvement of multiple stolen vehicles also suggests a degree of planning and reconnaissance, with the perpetrators appearing to know the layout of Eastgate and the location of the machines.

The theft of the ATMs themselves raises further questions about what happens to the cash inside. Machines are typically fitted with security features including ink staining and tracking devices, but determined gangs have developed methods to circumvent these protections or to extract notes before such measures activate. The total value of the money taken has not been disclosed by police.

Anyone with information about the Peebles incident, or who witnessed the Audi, Isuzu pick-up, horsebox or telehandler in the area overnight, is being asked to contact Police Scotland. Detectives are particularly keen to hear from motorists with dashcam footage and from residents with private CCTV that may have captured the convoy's movements.

The investigation remains at an early stage, and no arrests have been reported. Police have not indicated whether they believe the gang is linked to similar ATM raids elsewhere in Scotland or the wider UK, though the modus operandi will be of interest to specialist organised crime units.

For the community of Peebles, the raid represents a rare and unsettling intrusion. The town, perhaps best known for its annual Beltane Festival and its position on the River Tweed, has historically recorded low levels of serious crime. The sight of a wrecked bank branch and an abandoned forklift in its main street is one that residents are unlikely to forget soon.

As the clean-up continues and the branch remains closed, the focus now turns to whether detectives can identify those responsible. Police have stressed that public assistance could prove decisive, and they are urging anyone with even seemingly minor information to come forward as the hunt for the three men and their stolen vehicles continues.