Arrests made in 4th straight robbery with heavy equipment

Police have arrested two men in St. John's after a front-end loader tore into a bank early Saturday morning, marking the fourth time in a week that heavy equipment was used to break intoabusiness on the northeast Avalon.

The machine was ditched outside the BMO branch on Newfoundland Drive, in the city's east end.

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The loader was used to gain access to an automated teller machine.

The robbery triggered an alarm at 4:35 a.m. that brought the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary to the scene.

Following the break-in, officers stopped a vehicle on the Trans-Canada Highway and arrested two men in connection with the crime, police said.

Jamie Kennedy, 40,andCory Quilty,41,were bothcharged with break and enter, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and other firearms offences.

In addition Kennedy was also charged withpossession of property obtained by crime and public mischief, while Quiltyis charged withpossession of a weapon obtained by crime.

Both men appeared in provincial court Saturday.

String of break-ins

It's the fourth daring crimein a string of unusual break-ins involving different kinds of heavy equipment.

Last Sunday, a front-end loader was used to cut open aTD Bank branch on Elizabeth Avenue in St. John's.

On Monday, a backhoe was used to smash through four windows at Sobeys on Kelsey Drive, where an ATM was stolen.

Then on Friday, an excavator was used to rob a Scotiabank branch in the Long Pond area of Conception Bay South.

Saturday's crime drew a variety of responses on social media:

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