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A contractor hired to change a lock on an ATM vault in Corpus Christie, Texas was forced to send “help” notes through the automatic teller after he became stuck inside.

The worker had no phone so he improvised by sliding his pleas for assistance to shocked customers through the receipt slot.

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“Please help. I’m stuck in here and I don’t have my phone. Please call my boss…” one of the notes read.

Corpus Christie police said most customers thought the notes were jokes but responded after one of the alarmed bank patrons called for help.

“It was just crazy,” senior officer Richard Olden told KZTV. “Sure enough, we (could) hear a little voice coming from the machine.”

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Police were unable to gain access to the secured room and were forced to wait until the contractor’s boss showed up.

Officials said the man was stuck in the ATM room for two hours.

“Everyone is OK, but you will never see this in your life, that somebody was stuck in the ATM, it was just crazy,” Olden said.