ATM ripped from wall of Midtown Anchorage credit union

Anchorage police and the FBI are investigating the theft early Monday of an ATM, which they say may have been torn out of a Midtown credit union building with heavy equipment.

Anchorage Fire Department crews responded just after 2:45 a.m. to a fire alarm from the ATM's location, the Denali Federal Credit Union building at 36th Avenue and Denali Street.

"When AFD arrived, they discovered extensive damage to the building," police wrote. "It appears a construction vehicle was used to tear into the bank's wall and subsequently pick up and remove the ATM."

Outside the credit union, workers were cleaning debris from the parking lot near the ATM's former location, which had been boarded up Monday.

Denali spokesman Keith Fernandez said there was no actual fire hazard from the incident but he didn't have an estimate for the credit union's losses or damage in the theft by Monday afternoon. He said repair crews were working to secure the damaged area; Denali staff hope to replace the heavily used ATM.

The credit union provided a surveillance video of the smash-and-grab to law enforcement. Fernandez, who had reviewed the video, said that the thieves didn't stay at the building for long.

"Apparently it was a pretty quick job," Fernandez said. "I'm guessing it took less than 10 minutes."

Denali and other ATM sites have seen similar thefts over the years, Fernandez said. The thieves might not be able to reach the cash as quickly as they can get to the machine, however.

"People think an ATM is a big metal box, but there's a safe inside," Fernandez said. "You can open it up but the money's still in a safe."

Neither the police nor the FBI was able to provide further comment on the theft Monday morning.