NYC Plagued By ATM Thieves 73 Heists And Counting

NEW YORK CITY -- A gang of brazen thieves has eluded the New York Police Department for more than a year in an ATM crime spree. According to local press reports and law enforcement sources, the gang has hit as many as 73 ATMs in robberies that included about 19 stolen vehicles. The robberies took place in every borough except Staten Island; pizzerias, laundromats, gas stations and bodegas were among the targeted locations.

Considered highly organized, the five-member gang targets an ATM and then either pries open the machine with hand tools or attaches a chain to it and drags it out of the location. In some cases the robberies were conducted in broad daylight in full view of witnesses. Stolen vehicles are positioned nearby to inhibit a police response. According to local press reports, each robbery nets the thieves between $1,300 and $12,000.

Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the NYPD at (800) 577-TIPS (8477) or leave information at Crime Stoppers.

The New York City occurrences follow a global pattern of rising ATM thefts in retail locations. Over the past year, similar thefts were reported in the U.S., Canada, Europe and India.