Los Angeles police seek help in series of ATM thefts

LOS ANGELES – Thieves in the San Fernando Valley have been ripping ATMs from liquor stores and emptying the pockets of taco truck workers over the past three months, and police believe there may be more victims or suspects. They are calling on the public for help.

At 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 stolen ATMs, Police Lt. Samer Issa said four suspects were recently arrested in a series of robberies and burglaries in which the machines were brutally removed from liquor stores in the Mission Hills and West Valley area. The crimes, he said, took place from August 16 to October 16. He said at least one crime involved carjacking.

“In all incidents, the suspects forced open the front door of the business, entered the premises and tied a chain around the ATM,” he said. “The suspects then use their vehicle to pull the machine from the business, load it into the back of the vehicle and leave the scene.”

The ATMs, Issa said, were thrown away once the money was removed. He could not say how much money had been taken but said the damage to the stores had cost business owners thousands of dollars.

Among the businesses targeted was Village Market & Liquor near the intersection of Eldridge Avenue and Sayre Street in Sylmar, police said.

The early morning burglary on September 25 was captured by the store’s security cameras. According to the images obtained by CBS NewsTwo people wearing dark clothing used a chain attached to a white SUV to pull out the metal security doors. We then see the thieves use a crowbar to force open the glass door before entering the store and then chain the machine to the car to pull it out.

Issa declined to provide further details about the case because it was still an ongoing investigation, but on Oct. 16, he said, investigators served search warrants at several homes in Sylmar and Canyon Country, where they recovered numerous items related to the crimes, including money. and three vehicles. The police have also arrested four suspects.

They were identified as Los Angeles residents Anthony Cacho, 22, Stephany Gonzalez-Jimenez, 24, and Richard Nevarez, 24, and Luis Angel Rodriguez-Arroyo, 40, of Santa Clarita.

The suspects face several charges, including conspiracy to commit burglary and commercial burglary. In addition, Cacho faces one charge of possession of an unregistered assault weapon, and Rodriguez-Arroyo faces one charge of carjacking, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Nevarez, who was arrested on suspicion of theft, has not been charged.

On the same day the four suspects were taken into custody, Los Angeles Police Department investigators also made an arrest in another case in the Valley involving several armed robberies at taco truck businesses and a 7-Eleven convenience store.

LAPD Capt. Warner Castillo, commander of the North Hollywood region, said the eight armed robberies occurred between September 8 and 21.

He said that in every taco truck robbery, the suspect brandished a gun and took an unspecified amount of money, mostly from the food truck employees.

Castillo said the suspect targeted taco trucks in North Hollywood, Foothill, Mission Hills and the Van Nuys area, where at least one of the robberies involved the 7-Eleven.

Castillo said security camera video helped detectives identify the suspect.

During a search warrant in the Mission Hills area on Oct. 16, he said, police investigators arrested 27-year-old Jesus Garcia-Sotelo in connection with the armed robberies.

During the search, he said, a vehicle and clothing worn by the suspect during all eight robberies were seized.

Prosecutors have charged Garcia-Sotelo with eight counts of robbery with a gun, two counts of attempted robbery and 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Garcia-Sotelo, who was on probation at the time of his arrest, remains in jail without bail.

Police detectives are asking anyone who may have been a victim or has information about other suspects to call (818) 838-9810; anonymous tips can be provided at (800) 222-8477.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.