Thieves caught on camera bungling through ice machine robbery at Fresno market

Surveillance footage from the A&M Market at 2104 W. Belmont Ave. in Fresno caught two men awkwardly trying to break into a Glacier water vending machine outside the store early on Nov. 15. They failed, eventually swiping three bags of ice, valued at $8, and no cash after causing around $900 in damage.

Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said the clumsy break-in started at 3 a.m. and lasted around nine minutes. The video shows a late model silver or gray Mercury Grand Marquis drive up to the market and stop. One man gets out and pulls a pry bar out of the trunk.

After 30 seconds of failed attempts to break into the water vending machine, a second man gets out of the car and takes over. He struggles for about three minutes before he slips and falls, ending his efforts.

After his tumble, the second suspect puts away the pry bar and switches to a pair of bolt cutters. This also doesn’t work, causing the first man to return with the pry bar.

Eventually the second man uses his bolt cutters to break into a nearby ice freezer box. The men take the three ice bags and leave.

Anyone with information on either suspect is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 559-600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Thieves caught on camera bungling through ice machine robbery at Fresno market."