3 men used blow torch to try and bust open money machine, police say

Police are searching for three men they said attempted to use a blow torch to rob a car wash in Lawrence, Mass. (Lawrence Police Department)

A manhunt is underway in Massachusetts for three men caught on surveillance trying to use a blow torch to steal money from a car wash kiosk.

Lawrence police said the three unidentified men drove a stolen 1999 green Honda CRV to Haffner’s Car Wash around 3:15 a.m. Sunday.

The three men were also armed with a crowbar and a sledgehammer. (Lawrence Police Department)

Armed with a crowbar, sledgehammer – and the blow torch – they pulled up to the cash and ticket machine, Boston 25 reported.

Surveillance footage shows one of the masked suspects attempting to use what appears to be a blow torch to try and steal the money inside.

When that failed to open the metal box, the suspects pulled out a crowbar and sledgehammer. That also proved fruitless.

A car wash employee said he believes there could have been upwards of $6,000 in the cash and ticket machine. (Lawrence Police Department)

Police said the three suspects fled the scene and are still on the run.

One of the suspects was described as a light-skinned male with long black hair wearing a blue North Face jacket and black sweatpants. Another suspect was wearing a gray sweatshirt with a Nike logo on it and had a tattoo on the left hand.

Patrick Bernand, an employee at Haffner’s Car Wash, told Boston 25 that they had learned of the attempted robbery a couple hours after it happened.

Police said the three suspects fled the scene and are still on the run. (Lawrence Police Department)

“We had about 650 cars done, it was a really, really busy day,” he said. “[There was] a good $6,000 in there.”

The car wash’s owners told the news station they are looking at ways to increase security and make sure money doesn’t stay in the machines overnight.