Newfoundland has witnessed an increase in an unusual form of organized crime in recent years as so-called backhoe bandits use heavy equipment to commit robberies.
While there were two isolated incidents of backhoe bandits stealing ATMs in Southern Ontario late last year, Newfoundland has seen the lion’s share of this type of crime.
RCMP Cpl. Jolene Garland told The Epoch Times robberies involving the use of heavy equipment have been occurring in the province for some time. The RCMP has investigated six such incidents since 2022, she said, adding that the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) has also had several investigations of its own….