Third ATM Burglary At Same Gas Station: Riverside Cops

RIVERSIDE, IL — Riverside Police are investigating the third ATM burglary at the same gas station in the last month, police said Friday. The police chief says the incidents are part of a larger trend in the area where a crew is breaking into ATMs not on bank properties.

The latest attempted burglary was shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday at the Citgo gas station, 539 Longcommon Road. Within two minutes of the alarm being activated, police arrived, with one officer just one block north at the time, according to a police news release. The suspects had already left.

Officers found the front glass door of the business shattered, and the ATM machine had been damaged and the top removed, police said. The suspects likely tried to remove the entire ATM from the store but could not because it was bolted to the floor.

Through surveillance video, police saw two suspects in the burglary, but because they were wearing black masks and gloves, police could not give a specific description. A blue Durango with no license plates was seen driving from the 500 block of Longcommon Road and left north on Harlem Avenue from Longcommon.

The first attempted ATM burglary was shortly before 3 a.m. Nov. 2. In that case, police also responded to a burglar alarm and found the front gas station door shattered, police said. Again, the suspects tried to move the machine, but it was bolted to the floor and they were unable to pry it loose. In that case, the suspects were reported to be three African-American males who were wearing gloves and surgical masks, driving an SUV as a getaway car. The second attempted burglary was about 12:30 a.m. Nov. 13., with the descriptions of the suspects the same, police said.

Riverside Police have made regular premise checks at the gas station for some time. They made periodic checks on the midnight shift when they were not involved in other calls for police service, police said.

"There is clearly a crew, and more likely several crews, working specifically targeting ATM machines," Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in the news release. "Recently, there have been a number of reported burglaries or attempted burglaries in the suburbs and one in Chicago. Riverside detectives are working collaboratively with other area police agencies to compare case reports, videos, suspect information in an attempt to apprehend the offenders, but also identify a pattern."

He added, "It should be noted that the offenders are specifically targeting ATMs that are not located on bank properties. There is a pattern of hitting ATMs that are privately owned so that no federal charges can be sought, if arrested."

Riverside Police recovered the top of the ATM that was taken in the burglary in the parkway in the 100 block of Herrick Road about 2 p.m. the same day as the burglary, the release said. It will be checked for fingerprints and possible video as evidence, police said.

The management of the Citgo in Riverside posted a sign in the front window saying, "No ATM here please," but that did not work as the offenders still kicked in the front door, took off the top of the ATM and left the gas station in 90 seconds. The machine had no cash in it because it was still damaged from the last attempted burglary.

Anyone with information on the incidents or have information on the suspects, call the Riverside Police Department at 708-447-2127 or email detective Jim Lazansky at jlazansky@riverside.il.us.