SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police are crediting a truck driver for being in the “right place, right time” to help stop the burglary of an automatic teller machine.
Police are still looking for the people who smashed the front of the ATM in the 2300 block of NW Military early Tuesday morning.
However, the burglars left without getting any cash, thanks to a willing witness, police said.
“I just can’t believe I saw what I saw,” said Dale Dittberner, a delivery driver. “I was going by to deliver and I looked over and saw it going on.”
Dittberner was delivering gasoline to a station when he noticed a white pickup parked near the freestanding bank machine with at least two men nearby who appeared to be making an illegal withdrawal.
“It looked they had a chain or something wrapped around it. The other guy was up there trying to pry with a pry bar,” he said.
After he called 911, officers arrived, apparently scaring off the crooks.
They searched the area but did not find them.
“Unfortunately there’s probably a good half dozen apartment complexes and neighborhoods in that area so a lot of avenues for them to turn,” said SAPD Officer Patrick Des Rosiers.
Officers on the city’s west side, though, did find that pickup later on Marbach Road near Loop 410. The men who were inside got away.
Police will be searching the pickup for any physical evidence.
It’s possible they also may be able to get surveillance video from the ATM or the shopping center.
After he did all he could to help, Dittberner climbed into his tanker truck and got back on the road again.