Crime & Safety
Santa Cruz Burglars Crash Into Store, Steal ATM Machine: Police
The Santa Cruz Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying three burglars who allegedly stole an ATM machine.
SANTA CRUZ - The Santa Cruz Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying three burglars who allegedly smashed down the front door of a local mini-mart with a stolen car and stole an ATM machine.
The alleged burglars are seen in this video, which police ask you to share.
According to Santa Cruz police, officers responded at approximately 3:48 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22 to the 800 block of Water Street for an alarm call at DJ’s Minimart.
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Officers arrived, and say they found the front glass doors and a glass wall pane had been smashed in.
Police investigators say the ATM machine was missing from where it was bolted to the floor near the front doors.
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Store surveillance video released Friday by Santa Cruz police shows a gray colored Honda Accord station wagon intentionally crashing into the store front.
The car then pulls forward as two suspects appear to rush in through the smashed entryway and attempt to pull out the ATM machine. The driver, a third suspect, appears and the three struggle trying to remove the ATM.
Unable to pull the machine free, police say the video shows the driver getting back in the car and ramming the back end of the wagon into the ATM machine. The ATM is knocked free and the suspects lift it into the back of the wagon and allegedly drive away northbound on Branciforte Avenue.
Santa Cruz police say that about four hours later, at 7:45 a.m., officers recovered the stolen station wagon - abandoned in a driveway on the 2000 block of Soquel Avenue - but the stolen ATM machine was gone.
Police say the three suspects appear to be males of unknown race.
Two were wearing grey hoodies with the hoods up over their heads, according to police, and the third was wearing a dark jacket and orange beanie style hat.
Anyone with information relative to the suspects' identity is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Investigation Unit at (831) 420-5820 or Anonymous Tip Line (831) 420-5995.
-images, embed via Santa Cruz police
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.