Woman with vacuum cleans out ATMS

RCMP in the Fraser Valley are seeking information in a series of ATM thefts where the female suspect is seen carrying a vacuum cleaner.

The thefts date back to July, 2021 when the Chilliwack RCMP detachment responded to four break-and-enter at area banks where the suspect posed as a janitor and allegedly stole large sums of cash from automated teller machines.

Surveillance video captured the female suspect wearing a bright blue collared shirt, dark pants, a medical style mask, latex gloves and a dark coloured ball cap, RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Krista Vrolyk said in a media release.

A dark-coloured pick up truck police allege is associated with the thefts was also captured on the surveillance video.

The footage shows a female suspect approximately five feet tall carrying a backpack-style vacuum cleaner. Police do not say how the vacuum cleaner was used. The amount of money stolen is not specified in the release nor are the banks targeted in the theft.

Property crime detectives working with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada were able to identify suspects through suspicious bank transactions and used the information to execute a search warrant earlier this month at a residence in the 2600 block of Barnes Road in Nanaimo.

Police seized a large quantity of cash as well as several high value assets believed to have been purchased with the proceeds of crime, the release says.