---
title: "Bank Robbers Use Blacked-Out Mercedes-AMG, Donald Trump Masks in ATM Heist Spree"
description: "The brothers repainted the car to throw off cops and managed to score over $100,000 before getting nabbed."
date: "2017-07-26"
modified: "2017-07-27"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/12908/bank-robbers-use-blacked-out-mercedes-amg-donald-trump-masks-in-atm-heist-spree"
categories:
  - "Mercedes-Benz News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "A45"
  - "Bank"
  - "Donald Trump"
  - "Mercedes-AMG"
  - "Paint"
  - "robbery"
---

# Bank Robbers Use Blacked-Out Mercedes-AMG, Donald Trump Masks in ATM Heist Spree

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/07/ap_557913238038-new.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Police arrested two Italian brothers today after they allegedly used stolen luxury cars, explosives, and masks of U.S. President Donald Trump to go on a months-long spree of [bank robberies](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/8867/watch-this-french-bank-heist-completely-fail-when-the-truck-gets-stuck>) during which they blew up "dozens" of ATMs, [according to *Reuters*.](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-crime-trump-masks-idUSKBN1A91ZT>)

Carabinieri investigators [told local news outlet *La Stampa*](<https://www.lastampa.it/2017/07/24/cronaca/assaltavano-i-bancomat-con-le-maschere-di-trump-fTBYiMTK05LCj5syIlEKRK/pagina.html?zanpid=2325396050506318848>) that they'd been tracking the duo for months. Each time they struck, their M.O. was the same: they'd roll up to a bank in the middle of the night in a stolen car wearing the Trump masks, crack open the front of the ATM with a specialized tool, insert a small explosive, and wait for the cash to start flying. They reportedly managed to steal over $115,000 from dozens of banks before police finally caught up with them on Monday.

As some of are probably thinking right now, yes, this is very similar to the plot of the 1991 classic *Point Break*, where a young [John Wick Keanu Reeves](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/12008/breaking-down-john-wick-2s-opening-car-chase-keanu-is-a-great-driver>) goes undercover to bust up a group of bank-robbing surfers who use masks of various U.S. presidents to conceal their identities. And also, what does this have to do with cars? Well, Italian investigators have another movie reference for you, according to a statement [obtained by *Reuters*:](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-crime-trump-masks-idUSKBN1A91ZT>) the 1997 thriller [*The Jackal.*](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jackal_(1997_film)>)

The brothers used several different cars during their spree, including an Audi A6 Avant and the Mercedes A45 AMG seen up top. But they were apparently loath to stop using the little hot hatch once authorities had a lead on the car, opting instead to respray it from white to black in a bid to confuse the cops—just like Bruce Willis's titular assassin character did in *The Jackal* (and Edward Fox [in the 1973 original *The Day of the Jackal*](<https://motoringconbrio.com/2010/09/12/cinematic-cars-alfa-romeo-giulietta-spider-in-the-day-of-the-jackal-1973/>)). In pictures of the recovered A45 AMG, you can see the original white paint on the underside of the hood and through several scratches on the front clip.

Unfortunately for them, it didn't work. Police released security video of their last heist, and despite the impressive pyrotechnics and funny images of the Donald Trump masks, it ends with cops swarming the Mercedes as the the brothers try to turn around in a narrow alley.

https://youtube.com/embed/oq0TNGk43No

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)