Florida public works employees got more than they bargained for Tuesday night when they were called to investigate a possible sinkhole that had opened up outside a shopping center. Beneath the hole was a narrow tunnel stretching 50 years from a wooded area towards a branch of Chase Bank. The FBI is now probing the passageway, which contained a power cable, a generator, muddy boots and a small ladder, local station WPLG reported. "I would like to say I saw something like this in the movies," FBI Special Agent Michael Leverock told reporters Wednesday, per CNN. "However, this hole is so small. It is unique." Any potential burglars would have to squeeze through a diameter of just two to three feet, Leverock said. "It's very small, it's very claustrophobic," he added. "You would not be afraid of small places for sure if you were doing this." Attempted bank burglary. 50 yard tunnel leads to Chase Bank branch at 390 S. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL. Call FBI with information 754.703.2000. pic.twitter.com/nK0rZi8QTO — FBI Miami (@FBIMiamiFL) January 30, 2019 The tunnel was most likely dug with pickaxes and a small wagon found at the scene, the special agent explained. Its entrance was hidden by a wooden pallet. "It's crazy," Robert Lazerow, a bank customer who stumbled on the investigation, told The Miami Herald. "You only hear about things like that in the movies. How would someone think you could get away with that?" Investigators believe more than one person helped dig the passageway, which did not reach the bank itself. Leverock believes the diggers were aiming for an ATM. They never got into the bank itself, so the FBI is treating the incident as an attempted bank burglary. Law enforcement officials sent a rover to probe the narrow tunnel, and traced parts of its path from above the ground using spray paint. But so far the FBI don't know who those diggers are, when the tunnel was built, or exactly where it ends. "If somebody's been bragging about this, somebody's seen this wagon, seen a generator and some folks who are talking about a tunnel, certainly give us a call," Leverock said. A man recently robbed a Missouri bank just 50 minutes after cops released him for a suspected misdemeanor drug offense. Karsten Hardeman, 20, was spotted by an officer near the Wentzville police station with several $100 bills. Shortly before, a credit union close to the station called in a robbery. "I have no idea what he was thinking or why he decided that would be a good place to go," Officer Jacob Schmidt told the St Louis Post-Dispatch earlier in January. A Michigan man convicted of robbing a bank recently missed his sentencing because he was detained on suspicion of robbing another bank. Police arrested Paul Carta the day before his December sentencing was scheduled, after he allegedly told bank employees he had a gun and demanded they hand over cash.<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. 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(Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Public works employees discovered an underground tunnel to a bank in a Pembroke Pines, Florida neighborhood Tuesday night according to FBI Miami Public Affair Special Agent Michael Leverock. (CNN) — Public works employees in Florida stumbled upon something they don’t see every day: a small “claustrophobic” tunnel leading to a Chase bank, according to the FBI. The Pembroke Pines public works employees responded to a report of a possible sinkhole near the bank on Flamingo Road on Tuesday night and discovered the tunnel, which was about 50 yards long, with a power cord inside and a small generator at the foot, the FBI said Wednesday. “It’s approximately 2-foot, maybe 3-foot in diameter. It’s very small, it’s very claustrophobic,” FBI Miami Special Agent Michael D. Leverock told reporters. The tunnel was near a wooded area south of the bank, which is in a shopping complex across the street from the tunnel’s entrance. The tunnel didn’t reach the bank, the FBI said, adding that it is investigating the discovery as an attempted bank burglary. No arrests have been made. “They’re heading towards the ATM. I don’t think they were doing that for any other reason,” Leverock said. FBI Miami/FBI Miami Public works employees at first thought they had been called to a sinkhole. The tunnel appeared to be a scene straight out of a movie. Or not. “I would like to say I saw something like this in the movies, however, this hole is so small that … it’s unique,” Leverock said. He added: “You would not be afraid of small places for sure if you were doing this.” Police cut the fence line and found the tunnel’s entrance covered by a wooden pallet, CNN affiliate WPLG reported. Authorities believe more than one person likely dug the tunnel, apparently using pick axes, Leverock said. A winch and a small wagon used to haul away dirt, debris and rocks was found, he said. Police also discovered a pair of muddy boots, a small homemade ladder and a stool, according to WPLG. “This is truly a unique case here,” Leverock said. Pembroke Pines police used a small rover to investigate the tunnel, which went under Southwest Fourth Street, WPLG reported. Authorities don’t know where the tunnel ends yet or when it was abandoned, Leverock said. Rainfall over the past few days may have caused it to collapse, he said. The Pembroke Pines Department of Public Works declined to comment, referring questions to the FBI. The FBI released photos of the wagon and generator, hoping the public could help authorities track down the digger – or diggers. Authorities want to talk to them. “So, if somebody’s been bragging about this, somebody’s seen this wagon, seen a generator and some folks who are talking about a tunnel, certainly give us a call,” Leverock said.<doc-sep>Well, that’s one way to plan a heist! Florida public works employees were in for a surprise when the sinkhole they reported to ended up being a tunnel to a nearby Chase bank, according to NBC Miami. The crew found a power cord in the hole running into a nearby wooded area. FBI agents and police officers located the entrance of the tunnel, which was roughly 50 yards long and led to the bank. Although it didn’t reach the bank, the FBI is investigating the tunnel as an attempted bank burglary. Investigators told the Associated Press that the tunnel appeared to be dug with a pickaxe and wagon to transport the dirt and rock. An electric generator and some electrical cords were found at the entrance of the tunnel. It is unclear how long the tunnel has been there. FBI Miami Special Agent Michael D. Leverock said the tunnel was “very claustrophobic” and estimated it to be roughly 2 to 3 feet in diameter. “I would like to say I saw something like this in movies however this hole is so small, it’s unique,” he added. A cadaver dog was sent into the hole to locate anyone inside but no one was found. The FBI has urged anyone with information to contact its Miami division at 754-703-2000.<doc-sep>
It’s like something straight out of a classic heist film. Florida public works employees called to investigate an apparent sinkhole were shocked to discover a recently excavated tunnel running below the street in the direction of a nearby bank. It remains unclear how many people were involved in digging the tunnel, reported to be 50 feet long. Peering into the hole, a power cord was spotted running toward a wooded area. Pembroke Pines police officers went to the nearby wood line where they noticed the entrance to a narrow tunnel. The FBI were subsequently alerted. “They’re heading towards the ATM. I don’t think they were doing that for any other reason,” FBI Miami Special Agent Michael D. Leverock told reporters. “[The tunnel’s] approximately 2-foot, maybe 3-foot in diameter. It’s very small, it’s very claustrophobic,” he added. “You would not be afraid of small places for sure if you were doing this.” When police eventually ventured inside they found a pair of muddy boots, a ladder and stool, digging tools and a small Honda generator. “These people were using pickaxes and a small little wagon,” Leverock said. “I would like to say I saw something like this in the movies, however, this hole is so small that … it’s unique”. Local police reportedly used a remote control rover to explore the tunnel; public works employees were digging in the wooded area where they believe the tunnel may lead out to. Pembroke Pines Department of Public Works referred questions to the FBI, who later released photos of the materials used, including the generator, hoping the public could help track whoever was behind the elaborate plan. “So, if somebody’s been bragging about this, somebody’s seen this wagon, seen a generator and some folks who are talking about a tunnel, certainly give us a call,” Leverock said. No arrests have been made. Contact us at letters@time.com.