LOS ANGELES -- Thieves in the San Fernando Valley have been yanking ATMs out of liquor stores and emptying the pockets of taco truck workers over the last three months, and police believe there may be additional victims or suspects. They are calling on the public for assistance.
In an afternoon news conference at the LAPD's North Hollywood station Tuesday, detectives said multiple arrests had been made in two separate cases.
In the case of the snatched ATMs, Police Lt. Samer Issa said four suspects were recently arrested in a series of robberies and burglaries that removed the machines with brute force at liquor stores in the Mission Hills and West Valley area. The crimes, he said, occurred from Aug. 16 to Oct. 16. He said at least one crime involved a carjacking.
"In all incidents, the suspects forced open the front door of the business, entered the premises and tied a chain around the ATM machine," he said. "The suspects then use their vehicle to pull the machine out of the business, load it to the back of the vehicle and leave the scene."