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Attempted burglary Saturday at TBAS Tafuna branch unsuccessful

The Territorial Bank of American Samoa (TBAS)
Sources say police suspect TCF prisoners
Joyetter@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Department of Public Safety is investigating an attempted burglary at the Territorial Bank of American Samoa, Tafuna branch in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police suspect the alleged culprits are prisoners, according to police officials who spoke to Samoa News on condition of anonymity.

It is alleged the culprits’ failed mission was to ‘rob’ the bank but they did succeed in vandalizing the ATM machine outside of the bank.

This matter is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division. According to DPS officials, video footage shows the culprit's faces were covered.

It's unclear how many were involved, as efforts to get direct comments from Deputy Police Commissioners, Terry Letuli and Foifua Jr Foifua were unsuccessful as of press time.

Tafuna High School teachers that were decorating the road for the football championship game on Saturday, saw first-hand more than five police vehicles around the branch in Tafuna.

Officers were seen at the bank’s Tafuna location around 4 a.m, securing the scene and taking photos.

Inmates escaping from the TCF is nothing new. In 2010, four inmates escaped from the prison and walked towards the now-closed ANZ bank where they assaulted a security guard and kicked him while demanding his car keys. The security guard was also stabbed with a butter knife. While the inmates were attacking the security guard, they saw a truck approaching; and that's when they fled and returned to TCF.