ATM thieves wanted in robbery pattern that targeted 20 NYC businesses during summer

Thursday, October 10, 2024

ATM thieves wanted in robbery pattern that targeted 20 NYC businesses

Janice Yu reports.

EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Police are working to track down a group of thieves involved in a citywide robbery pattern in which 20 places of business were hit between June and September.

Of the 20 places targeted, 16 of them were successful ATM robberies, police say.

One of them occurred in Brooklyn in less than 30 seconds.

"I'm here from 2015. I've never heard that before," said A&H Deli employee Omar Pilal.

Pilal says his coworker was the one behind the counter around 11 p.m. on July 8, the day of the robbery. He acknowledged two men walked into the deli on Ralph Avenue and Herkimer Street, picked up the ATM, walked out and got into a van.

His coworker was too stunned to even act.

"After that he called the cops when he saw the plate for the car, it had no plates," added Pilal.

Pilal acknowledged there are two ATMs in the deli, one is bolted to the ground; the one the crooks took off with wasn't.

Police have released pictures of the cars and people involved in the robberies. No arrests have been made.

No one was hurt during any of the crimes.