A man is accused of trying to steal an ATM from an east Vancouver credit union Friday before leading police on a chase and crashing into multiple cars.
Anthony C. Osborne, 31, no city of residence listed, appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of first-degree attempted theft, attempt to elude, first-degree malicious mischief and obstructing a law enforcement officer. His bail was set at $20,000, and he is scheduled to be arraigned June 3, court records show.
Vancouver police responded at about 6 a.m. to the Unitus Community Credit Union, 800 S.E. 192nd Ave., for reports that someone had backed up a Ford pickup to an ATM. One caller said they saw a man approach the machine with what appeared to be a crow bar. Another caller reported seeing a man take a yellow tow strap toward the machine, according to a probable cause affidavit.
When the truck tried to drive away twice, the caller could see there was resistance, as if the strap was attached to something heavy, court records state.
Responding police saw the pickup traveling north on 192nd Avenue with a yellow strap trailing behind it. When officers tried to stop the truck, the driver sped up and drove recklessly to evade police. The truck drove into oncoming traffic and caused other cars to swerve out of the way, according to the affidavit.
At 6:19 a.m., Washington State Patrol troopers said they were following the pickup near Northwest 10th Avenue and Onsdorff Boulevard. Troopers stopped pursuing the truck as it traveled south on state Highway 503, passing Hidden Meadow Drive, court records state.
Shortly after 6:30 a.m., the pickup crashed into two cars at Lowe’s, 11413 N.E. 76th St., according to the affidavit. The two people whose cars were hit said the driver of the truck ran away. He was seen jumping fences in a nearby neighborhood until Clark County sheriff’s deputies arrested him.
Deputies said the man refused to identify himself, and he was booked into the Clark County Jail as John Doe.
The drivers of the cars that were struck identified Osborne as the man driving the pickup, the affidavit states.
Police viewed surveillance video from the credit union, which showed a man, identified as Osborne, prying open the ATM with a crowbar and then tying the tow strap to the machine, according to court records. However, officers said Osborne got into the passenger’s seat of the truck and that another man was driving at the time.
Court records don’t state whether there was any damage to the ATM.
