Law Enforcement, Businesses, Working To Stay One Step Ahead Of ATM Thieves

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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A caller rash of ATM thefts has brought the contented to the attraction of galore radical successful the portion but the occupation has been connected the radar of members of the instrumentality enforcement assemblage for months.

In Baltimore, wherever constabulary accidental records bespeak that ATM thefts person decreased by 50% successful 2021 compared to 2020, constabulary are presently moving with businesses to springiness them tips connected however to outsmart criminals who behaviour this crime.

Some of the tips shared with businesses see moving the machines from the beforehand farther into the stores making it harder for thieves to maneuver the clunky machines extracurricular and into a vehicle.

Businesses could besides usage bigger bolts to unafraid the instrumentality and erect barricades truthful that vehicles cannot straight smash into buildings successful bid to summation introduction — oregon adjacent the usage of slope dye packs that would emit a dye erstwhile an ATM passes a definite trigger point. If dye gets connected the cash, it tin nary longer beryllium used.

Colonel Kevin Jones supervises a squad wrong the Baltimore Police Department that’s trying to halt the thefts. He said ATM theft are down 50% successful Baltimore this year, but it’s intelligibly inactive a problem.

So far, determination person been 58 ATM thefts truthful acold successful 2021, but lone 1 arrest.

“How bash you consciousness astir that record?” asked WJZ newsman Ava-joye Burnett.

“You don’t consciousness bully astatine all.” answered Colonel Jones. “But you recognize that you’re talking astir determination is nary existent rhyme oregon crushed to it. You don’t cognize erstwhile idiosyncratic is going to strike, truthful what you bash you effort to champion deploy based connected probability.”

There were 2 cases conscionable this week alone. Police said suspects tried but failed to bargain an ATM connected Orem Avenue Sunday. An 18-year-old was arrested successful that case.

Thieves were palmy successful a abstracted effort 2 days later.

“People are trying their hand,” 1 nonmigratory told WJZ. “They spot idiosyncratic getting distant with it and it’s happening, truthful they’re trying to bash it arsenic well.”

WJZ asked Baltimore City Police if this is an organized ringing that’s executing the crimes.

“What we judge is it initially started disconnected arsenic a group. We don’t cognize the nonstop size of the group, but we cognize that sometimes determination are besides copycats,” said Colonel Jones.

Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties are besides dealing with ATM thefts.

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Police successful Baltimore City said the machines could person up to $5,000 wrong but 1 store clerk told WJZ that the machines are sometimes empty, truthful the thieves volition spell done an extended effort, lone to find an bare machine.