Serial ATM Thieves Discover Easier Method for Robbing Machines

Suspects have turned to using a master key and drill bit combination to steal money.

July 20, 2010

NEW YORK - A pair of New York-area ATM thieves, already linked to using a chain and car to rip up to 11 curbside ATMs from their foundations, has apparently discovered a way to rob the machines more easily, the Wall Street Journal reports.

In five thefts across Manhattan, the suspects have now turned to using a master key and drill bit combination to steal money, according to detectives. The key opens a steel door that covers the lower portion of the ATMs below the keypad, screen, and cash dispenser, and once those doors are open, the combination lock becomes visible. The thieves then drill into the combination dial to access the cash.

According to a police memo referencing the break-ins, "machines with additional side locks or iron straps are not targeted."

The last of the pair's 15 thefts occurred in May, and police speculate that they may have moved to another city to avoid detection.
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