ATM thefts a trend

A boarded up window on the side of a Palm Springs Walgreens is what remains after someone broke the glass – to steal an ATM.

“Unknown suspects broke open the window to the business, and probably put a strap around the interior ATM, used a vehicle to try and pull the ATM system out. They were unsuccessful, only got the top off the ATM and were unable to take any money,” Sergeant Mike Kovaleff of the Palm Springs Police department said.

It’s the opposite of what happened in Indio, where suspects took the entire money-filled machine. Another difference — the Palm Springs attempted robbery took place in broad daylight at 6:00 in the morning.

Palm Springs Police do believe there is a connection between this incident and the ATM recently stolen from a gas station food mart in Indio.

“We have not had any additional ATM thefts. And for us to have two in two days, probably would make a connection there,” Kovaleff said.

Surveillance video showed a masked man breaking into a shell station in Indio around 3:30 Monday morning. He ties a tow rope to an ATM machine, then a vehicle outside yanks it out of the store, leaving a mess behind. This suspect wore a mask.

Unfortunately, Palm Springs Police weren’t as lucky to have all that detailed information. The suspect’s headlights were shining into the surveillance video camera outside the Walgreens, making the video useless. Both police departments have similar vehicle descriptions.

“The vehicle described is a mid 2000 to early 2000 dark grey Dodge 3500 pickup truck,” Kovaleff said.

Indio and Palm Springs detectives are working together to solve these crimes.