A gang of roof thieves struck again in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) and made off with thousands of rands.

This time the Standard Bank ATMs on the corner of President and Songozwi Street (next to Midas) were targeted. A group of spectators quickly gathered at the corner on Tuesday morning, as the news of the crime earlier that evening spread like wildfire. 

Provincial police spokesperson Capt Maano Sadike confirmed the incident.

The thief/thieves made use of a grinder, he said, to cut a hole in the roof right above the ATMs. Once inside, they used the grinder to cut open the ATMs' safes to get at the money.

Sadike said on Tuesday that the local police were investigating the possibility that a gang that specifically targets ATMs and vaults might be rampant in the Vhembe district. In the past, Makhado (Louis Trichardt) has seen many similar thefts. More recently, several ATMs were either cut or blown open in Thohoyandou, Vivo and Alldays.

A case of housebreaking and theft was opened for investigation. At the time of going to press, no arrests had been made.