A Florida man is facing multiple charges after police say he stole a forklift, lifted an ATM, and took both on an early-morning joyride through Tallahassee.
According to the Tallahassee Police Department, officers responded around dawn on Monday after receiving reports of a forklift traveling through residential areas.
When they arrived, according to CBS 12, they found 38-year-old Joshua Hidalgo behind the controls of the heavy machinery, which investigators later determined had been taken from a local school.
Bodycam footage released by the department and broadcast on WFTV shows officers approaching the forklift as it rolled down a neighborhood street. One officer can be heard casually greeting him with, “What’s up, bro? What y’all got going on?”
Hidalgo pointed toward the front of the vehicle and said, “I dropped this thing over here,” referencing the forklift’s load before suddenly taking off on foot.
Police say that the load was an ATM, stolen from a nearby business parking lot. Surveillance footage captured the machine being carried away on the forklift before officers arrived.
Hidalgo didn’t get far. After a short foot chase, he was taken into custody without incident. In the video, an officer can be heard telling him, “I told you to take a seat,” while Hidalgo insists, “I haven’t done anything.”
Following the arrest, officers searched the surrounding area and recovered clothing and burglary tools they believe were connected to the attempted theft. No injuries were reported, and police say the quick response from patrol units prevented further damage.
Hidalgo is now facing several charges, including grand theft, trespassing on school grounds, and possession of burglary tools with intent to use. The Tallahassee Police Department also shared images of the forklift and the recovered ATM, noting in a statement that the situation was resolved safely.
Officials have not released additional details about the damage or whether the ATM was opened before being recovered. The investigation remains ongoing.
