CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A wild video obtained by Queen City News shows a U-Haul truck ripping a popular NoDa sandwich shop’s ATM out from the ground early Monday morning.
The incident happened on Oct. 2 around 4 a.m. at Brooks’ Sandwich House.
Thieves chained the machine to the trailer and drove away, yanking the ATM from its concrete foundation. Footage can be seen below:
Eventually, it caught fire as it drug across the pavement, sending sparks flying.
“The entire ATM inside the cage, dragging it down the road, and it was totally engulfed in flames,” said owner David Brooks. “It was the funniest thing you’ve ever seen in your life.”
Brooks’ ATM is vital to the business since only cash is accepted, and due to the situation, the shop announced it would remain closed on Monday.
Brooks explained closing for the day was frustrating and that the robbers didn’t even get away with much money.
“Hard to understand when there’s cameras out here, caught everything on file footage and just to see the stupid things they did to try to get away with it,” Brooks said.
CMPD says they haven’t made any arrests so far, and the restaurant is, unfortunately, no stranger to crime. On Dec. 9, 2019, co-owner Scott Brooks, David’s twin brother, was shot and killed as he was going to open the restaurant for the day.
Two men, identified as Terry Connor Jr. and Steven Razelle Staples, were arrested on various charges in connection to the case, including murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
“I’ve got my family,” said Brooks. “They just work their hearts out for this place.”
David refuses to stop serving the community.
“Look around. The good people keep coming back to support them,” said Teresa Barfield, a customer.
They’ve built a relationship with their customers that outlasts the bad.
“You know that they’re your ‘go-to people.’ If you need them likewise they would come to me, so it gives you an incentive to get up every- day to keep doing what you’re doing,” said Brooks.
