Cops on the Hunt for ATM Thieves
A Three-Man Crew on the Loose
Cops are looking for two suspects caught on a surveillance camera stealing an ATM from an East Elmhurst store last month. They are part of a three-man crew that has stolen machines from nearly 50 stores across the city, hitting a dozen police precincts in Queens alone in a four-month-long crime spree.
The Heist
The NYPD says the two perpetrators belong to a three-man crew that has broken into 49 commercial establishments across Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx in the last four months of 2024. In each incident, two of the crooks haul away ATM machines before speeding away from each crime scene in stolen vehicles driven by a getaway driver.
The East Elmhurst Robbery
Police from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights reported that on the night of Monday, December 23, at approximately 1:20 a.m., the suspects broke into the American Desi Bazaar and Deli, located at 75-10 31st Avenue, by cutting a bolt on the roll-down security gate and smashing through the glass door. Once inside, they forcibly removed an ATM machine containing $2,000 in cash, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. The two suspects carried the machine out of the store and loaded it into a stolen vehicle, which drove off in an unknown direction. The entire incident took less than ten minutes to execute. The store was closed at the time of the break-in, so no injuries were reported from the incident.
The Investigation
The NYPD released surveillance video of the East Elmhurst robbery on Friday but could not provide descriptions because the suspects wore face coverings and hoodies.
A Reward is Being Offered
A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to their arrest. Anyone with information regarding this incident or any of the other 48 break-ins is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are confidential.
The Crew’s M.O.
The same crew has hit commercial establishments in the confines of a dozen Queens police precincts, including the new command at the 116th Precinct in Rosedale. The crew has not hit precincts in the Rockaways, Bayside, South Ozone Park, and Astoria.
Conclusion
The NYPD is working to apprehend these suspects and bring them to justice. If you have any information, please come forward and help the authorities in their investigation. Remember, the public’s help is crucial in solving crimes and keeping the community safe.
FAQs
- Q: What is the reward for information leading to the arrest of these suspects?
A: A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered. - Q: How many commercial establishments have been targeted by this crew?
A: 49 establishments across Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx in the last four months of 2024. - Q: How many police precincts in Queens have been targeted by this crew?
A: A dozen police precincts, including the 116th Precinct in Rosedale.
