A hilarious video of a thiefs failed attempt to steal a cash machine in Australia has been posted online by police.

In the 80-second video, the bungling burglar can be seen parking his pick-up truck outside a petrol station in the middle of the night. He then proceeds to smash the glass of the shop door, before tying a chain from his truck round the cash machine inside.

But rather than pull the cash machine away, upon driving from the shop the chain snaps. The thief then returns to the scene of the crime to try again, but after realising that the broken chain is now too short, he gives up and drives away.

Queensland Police uploaded the video to its YouTube channel, overlaying the CCTV footage from the petrol station of the crime with comical music to highlight the would-be-robbers ineptitude. Officers have asked anyone with information about the crime to come forward.