Authorities investigate Thursday morning Bude ATM break-in

Local, state and federal authorities are investigating a daring break-in involving the curbside ATM at United Mississippi Bank on U.S. Highway 98-Mississippi Highway 184 in Bude during the early morning hours of Thursday, Nov. 3.

Bude Police Chief Reggie Cain told The Franklin Advocate on Thursday afternoon that the incident, which happened around 2 a.m., was captured on surveillance cameras at the bank and other nearby camera might have also captured images tied to the robbery.

"From the bank videos, it appeared that two black males — one heavy set and the other skinnier — approached the location in a dark-in-color, newer model Dodge Ram," Cain said. "They used a crowbar to gain access to the machine and then a chain with hooks to tear out the internal mechanism to get the money inside."

The robbers made off with an undetermined amount of cash, but Cain noted the machine had been filled with money prior to Thursday morning's break-in.

"It appears the suspects knew what they were doing because the entire incident took less than four minutes from beginning to end," the chief continued. "We are also looking at other surveillance video cameras nearby in regards to a possible look-out vehicle — a light-in-color car (no make or model available at this time) — that reportedly parked near CapCo and Sprint Mart near the intersection of Highways 98 and 184 around the same time."

Other videos showed the two vehicles involved in the incident together and leaving the scene on U.S. Highway 98 headed eastward toward Summit.

Throughout the day on Thursday, portions of the exterior of the bank were roped off with crime-scene tape as investigators looked for trace evidence in the parking lot and bank officials were examining the ATM, which was destroyed in the incident.

Cain said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are working with Bude police and other local authorities in their probe of the overnight theft.

At present, Cain said all leads are being followed and video recordings from throughout the area are being examined thoroughly in hopes of finding additional clues that will lead to a arrests in the case.

Cain is asking any individuals who might have been in the area and witnessed any suspicious activity near the financial institution around the time of the ATM break-in to call law enforcement and report any tips they might have.

He indicated videos would likely be posted soon to social media in hopes of seeking the public's help in identifying the suspects.