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String of 7-Eleven ATM robberies under investigation
A multi-agency investigation into an ATM theft spree that spans across D.C., Maryland and Virginia is underway. Eight 7-Eleven convenience store ATMs were targeted in just one day. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez has the latest details from police.
WASHINGTON - A multi-agency investigation into an ATM theft spree that spans across D.C., Maryland and Virginia is underway. Eight 7-Eleven convenience store ATMs were targeted in just one day.
Nobody was hurt but multiple police departments are now looking into the crimes. The larcenies took place at the following locations:
- 331 S. Whiting St., Alexandria, Va.
- 6112 Franconia Rd., Alexandria, Va.
- 25 Peabody St., Northwest, D.C.
- 1700 block of 17th St., Northwest, D.C.
- Riverdale, Md.
- Chillum, Md.
- Clinton, Md.
- College Park, Md.
At the 7-Eleven on Peabody St. in the Manor Park neighborhood, FOX 5 learned that the thieves cut some wiring to destroy any video evidence and ended up damaging the store’s whole system. That left their credit card machines down for most of the day.
But that seems to be the M.O. in these incidents.
A 911 dispatch call out of Fairfax County from Monday revealed that the thieves did the same thing at another store.
"They forced this customer and the clerk at the 7-Eleven into the back room and then they stole the ATM from the store," the dispatcher says. "They tore out all the video equipment, two males dressed in all black."
In several of the incidents, the ATMs weren’t actually taken, they were pried open. Police say the suspects used the "Jaws of Life" – the hydraulic device often used when firefighters have to save people trapped in cars – to get into the machines.
"It is a professional type of pneumatic equipment. They typically use one brand. It seems to be their favorite," D.C. Police Lieutenant Scott Dowling told FOX 5.
Just last week, police in Hyattsville caught a suspect using one in another 7-Eleven ATM robbery.
Of the eight stores targeted Monday, two were in Virginia, two were in D.C. and four stores in Prince George’s County were hit.
Dowling says 7-Eleven knows about it and added that MPD has been seeing this style of robbery for at least a year but eight in one day is new.
"It seems to happen in a very kind of defined timeframe. It’s overnight, typically in the middle of the week, early morning hours," Dowling said. "Anything that anybody sees, vehicle descriptions, suspect descriptions, anything that they hear – if they want to pass it along to us at 202-727-9099, we’ll happily take whatever information."
RELATED: Thieves armed with chainsaw reportedly try to steal 7-Eleven ATM in DC
Alexandria Police tell FOX 5 this is their "6th such incident" since June 2023.
Officials aren’t saying the dollar amount stolen but Dowling says police are working with 7-Eleven to fortify their ATMs.
As for the investigation, it's a joint effort between police departments, the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s office, all trying to capture these suspects.
D.C. police say they do not think it’s a ring, but multiple people kind of using the same technique to break in.
Attorney General Jason Miyares says cracking down on this kind of crime isn’t all up to the police, saying prosecutors need to hold criminals accountable to reduce future incidents.
"Criminals become emboldened when they know there aren't punishments for their crimes. If Northern Virginia and D.C. prosecutors were to consistently enforce consequences for robberies and criminal activity like this, crime would go down and communities would be safer. Clear and bold crimes like ATM robberies are a consequence of weak prosecutors and a revolving door policy," Miyares said in a statement to FOX 5.