ATM machine of a Saudi bank stolen

Residents of a Saudi town woke up one day to discover they cannot use the ATM machine to withdrawmoney — not because it was faulty, it was just not there.

Thieves used metal ropes and a stolen van at dawn to force out the teller machine from Rajhi Bank Group in the southwestern town of Dahran South.

“They used a big van and a car without [number] plates... They apparently made off with the ATM machine at 4.00 am and fled to an unknown destination,” 'Alwatan' newspaper quoted police spokesman, Abdullah Al Qarni, as saying.

The paper said it was not immediately known whether the machine contained money but added police were in touch with Rajhi, one of the largest banks in the region.