Bungling Australian thief fails miserably in his attempt to steal petrol station ATM - video

And the award for Australia's Dumbest Criminal goes to...

The bungling thief tried to steal the ATM from the petrol station (Queensland Police)

A bungling thief in Australia has become an internet sensation after his attempts to steal a cash machine from a petrol station in Queensland hilariously failed.

In the footage released by Queensland Police, the thief is filmed driving his stolen truck up to the store in Townsville, before smashing through its glass entrance with a paving slab.

Eyeing the potentially lucrative prize of the store’s ATM, “Australia’s Dumbest Criminal” attaches a chain from his car to the ATM.

Watch the bungling thief below

He then drives off, hoping to take the machine with him.

However, it doesn’t quite go to plan after the chain breaks in half during his getaway.

Undeterred by this failure, he returns and attempts to connect the two broken parts of the chain.

Although his attempt failed, police are still appealing to the public to help identify the man after it was revealed the white 1997 Holden Rodeo used during the robbery was stolen.

Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Hicks said that the vehicle was stolen from a local business on Ingham Road on Tuesday 12 May, just prior to the ATM theft attempt.

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"A short time after the vehicle was used in a break and enter and attempted ATM theft," he said.