News

Ill. ATM thieves getting bolder

April 7, 2004

BRIMFIELD, Ill. - In a single 48-hour stretch, ATM thieves hit the village of Brimfield not once but twice.

The suspects took off with cash machines from two different Brimfield businesses located within a block of each other, according to a WHOIreport.

Thieves got away with the ATM at Jim's Supermarket in the early morning hours of April 4. The ATM contained $800.

"They know what they are doing, they come in and do it, and it only takes three minutes to do," said Barb Mckown of Jim's Supermarket.

Then around 2:30 a.m. on April 6, an ATM was stolen from Brimfield Bank.

The same thieves may have been involved in the attempted theft of an ATM from a Cuba, Ill., gas station, also over the April 5 weekend, according to a report in the Fulton County Daily Ledger.

According to the Ledger, suspects removed an ATM from a T-Mart station and loaded it into a stolen truck -- but the machine apparently fell out of the truck while they were trying to get away.

Police said a truck was stolen from the driveway of Fairview, Ill., residence.

Police believe the Brimfield and Cuba cases may be related to a string of ATM thefts throughout several Illinois counties, including Peoria, Knox, Rock Island, Henry and McDonough counties.

More than 15 machines have been taken, all from businesses located in rural areas. (See related story Ram raid ATM thefts in Ill. appear to be linked)