The front entrance and much of the wall of the RBC branch in Holyrood has been demolished. (Ted Dillon/CBC)
The Holyrood branch of the Royal Bank of Canada has been destroyed in what appears to be another smash and grab theft through heavy machinery, residents of the area say.
“The front of the building is completely gone. You can see right through building from the front … right through to the back window,” Tracy Morrell, who works near the scene, told Radio-Canada Tuesday morning.
The area of the community hosts a high density of businesses, pharmacies and restaurants.
Morrell says she heard it was another “backhoe bandit” situation.
The RBC branch in Holyrood was damaged heavily. The RCMP was on scene early Monday morning. (Ted Dillon/CBC)
The term has become popular in recent years after a string of break-ins around the Avalon Peninsula began with the use of a backhoe or other heavy machinery to break down walls and doors or businesses.
“By the looks of the damage, I think they probably hit it a few times,” Morrell said of the RBC branch.
“It’s a mess. A mess. There’s wood, there’s debris, there’s a steel beam, actually that’s bent. It’s a disaster.”
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