STRATEGIC PARTNERS
October 9, 2002
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- Danny Roland, the 42-year-old accused of using a vehicle to ram his way into buildings and steal ATMs told WRTV on Oct. 9 that he stole three of the machines to fund his drug habit.
Roland was arrested Oct. 8 on a warrant accusing him of stealing an ATM from a south Indianapolis movie theater on Sept. 10. He faces charges of theft and burglary in that case, and is being investigated in connection with similar cases. (See related story Explosion extinguishes ATM theft attempt)
Investigators are looking for at least one other person they believe helped Roland, said Detective Allen Hornaday of the Marion County Sheriff's Department.
The Indianapolis Police Department said fingerprints obtained from a stolen car linked him to the theater burglary. Investigators believe Roland and another person gained access to the closed theater by crashing a vehicle into it, police Detective Kurt Rincker said.
Rincker said a surveillance camera captured images of two people exiting the vehicle. At least one of them linked the ATM to the vehicle with a chain, and then the vehicle pulled the machine away. "You see people walking into the theater, and then, boom, here comes the ATM."
In an interview at the Marion County Jail, Roland said he admits to the theater burglary and two other ATM heists: at a Speedway gas station on July 7 and at a Village Pantry.
The sheriff's department already had named Roland in the July gas station theft. Police said surveillance video in July showed Roland crashing a sport utility vehicle into the gas station, strapping an ATM to the vehicle and then pulling it out of the station.
Police said they also believe Roland on Oct. 3 drove a large vehicle into a Speedway gas station with the intent of stealing an ATM. Police said whoever drove into the building aborted the ATM theft attempt.
Roland was wanted in 10 thefts or attempted thefts of ATMs in the past 18 months, the sheriff's department said.
Roland said he believes he gained about $60,000 in the three thefts to which he confessed. He said he used the money to buy crack.
"I ain't got a dime in my pocket. I spent all that money on drugs," Roland said.
