WASHINGTON - Authorities say it took thieves less than a minute to break open a Prince George's County ATM and help themselves to the piles of money inside.

The blue pickup truck pulls right up in front of Frank's Tavern liquor store. Two men with their heads fully covered then walk into the store carrying tools. One carries a crow bar while the other sources believe is some type of hydraulics tool.

At 12:02 p.m. in the middle of the day with a customer just feet away, the duo, using the tools, tries to open the ATM machine. While one works the other stands next to him.

Now, in slow motion the suspect in black can be seen pulling out the block of money. The other man wearing white tucked the large sum of cash under his arm, grabbed two bags of chips and they both walked out of the store.

The customer leaves while out of frame, the store employee begins yelling at the masked thieves. "I said, 'What you doing?' But they didn't pay attention to me," the employee said.

Ignoring the employee's demands, they get the ATM open and both have to grab and pull the door open. They steal the cash, walk out of the store and get back in a blue truck and drive away. The whole crime took less than one minute.

"It was scary," the employee said. 

"That's just terrible. I'm glad I wasn't here. God knows I stop here all the time...," said a customer.

Because she was still scared, the employee didn't want to show her face on TV. She said she couldn't believe the bold daytime theft happened right in front of her. But according to the sources, just moments before, the tool-carrying thieves hit a Chevron gas station on Burroughs Avenue in the District at around 11:50 a.m.

Authorities say the thieves took the cash and left behind a damaged ATM machine. Detectives from Prince George's County and the District are now trying to locate the suspects.

 Email To Friend