Suspects Caught After Dallas ATM Heist
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Yet another business in Dallas was badly damaged early Wednesday morning during an attempted smash-and-grab ATM heist. But this time, there was a different ending. It happened shortly before 2:00 a.m. in the 700 block of Buckner Boulevard, near White Rock Lake.
A truck was used to ram into a convenience store, and thieves were able to snatch the location's ATM. But, according to the store's owner, people at a bar just a few yards away heard the commotion and called police.
This could be a major break in the case of these ongoing ATM theft attempts.
Officers responded to the Green Spot store and found the front wall destroyed and the store's ATM missing. However, witnesses identified the suspect vehicle as a Ford pickup truck. That truck was spotted nearby and a short chase ensued with police.
The pickup truck crashed at an apartment complex just three miles away from the crime scene. Two suspects were then taken into custody. A third suspect is still on the run. The names of those suspects have not been released.
Crews have already towed away the damaged pickup truck with the ATM still in the back. The store's owner said that he is grateful for those individuals who called the police. "I am really thankful to them," he said early Wednesday morning. "I'm so glad they caught the people that did this, because they could've easily gone and done this at a few other places."
Authorities have not yet said if these same suspects could be responsible for the recent string of at least 26 similar ATM theft attempts which have been taking place at stores across North Texas since the beginning of the year.
Most of the crash debris has been moved out of the Green Spot store and customers are welcome to return. The owner rushed to open his business again, both for his sake and for his loyal customers. "It is not the damage that matters," he said. "It's just the break in the business that really, really stings."
Some neighbors stopped by Wednesday morning to donate their time and services to helping the owner and his wife.
"It's a little heartbreaking. It's very nice guys here," stated neighbor Vi Duong. "They work hard. They're always here for us. It's tough to see them take a loss like that."
"Maybe by having two of them in custody, they can get the rest of them arrested," said Stan Spitler, who also lives near the store. "Hopefully get it to slow down a little bit."
