A WOULD-BE ATM thief has become the internet’s latest laughing stock after Queensland police launched a comical appeal to find the man in question.

Authorities posted surveillance footage, complete with a hilarious soundtrack, of the luckless thief’s attempt to steal an ATM at an Ingham Road, Townsville petrol station on Tuesday evening.

The footage shows a stolen 1997 white Holden Rodeo ute pulling up to the service station.

The man exits the car, throws a concrete block at the door, using what appears to be a mallet to smash in the final pieces.

He then grabs a long, metal chain and heads inside to rig it to the ATM.

WATCH THE COMICAL SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE IN FULL BELOW

media_camera Not bringing attention to himself at all ...

media_camera After smashing in the door, the thief crawls in. media_camera The thief grabs a metal chain from the back of the ute.

media_camera You might want to move that sunglass rack out of the way.

But little does he know, the chain breaks, leaving the ute attached to ... nothing.

Completely oblivious, he gets in the ute, and pulls away ... with nothing.

media_camera *Snap* media_camera The thief didn’t see this one coming.

media_camera Awkward.

Later, he returns to the scene of the crime and attempts theft number two, but the chain is too short and after a moment’s thought, surrenders the mission.

media_camera Hmm. What to do now?

“The only problem for the offender was that he had not realised that his chain wasn’t attached and when he attempted to drive off he left the ATM behind,” Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Hicks said in a statement.

“Anyone with any information about the vehicle or the male should contact Crime Stoppers.”

Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.

Originally published as Bungling burglar a laughing stock