FOLLOWUP: 2 suspects jailed in theft of West Seattle Junction US Bank ATM

usbank1
(WSB photo from Sunday)

We have full details now on the arrest of two men in connection with the theft of the West Seattle Junction US Bank’s drive-up ATM early Sunday.

After we reported the theft on Sunday, a commenter from Lake City mentioned the arrest of two men and recovery of a vehicle – but we didn’t have the official information connecting it all until just now.

Bail was set at $200,000 for a 28-year-old Shoreline man and $75,000 for a 35-year-old Sammamish man.

Probable-cause documents say the theft happened just after 5 am, when a citizen called 911 to say a nearby building shook and that they saw a forklift being used to steal the ATM from the bank on SW Edmunds.

It was reported as stolen from a “nearby hardware store” – reportedly Junction TrueValue, a block away. We photographed it after a reader tip about police activity turned out to be the impounding of the forklift post-theft:

IMG_8330
(WSB photo from Sunday)

The police report says that video shows three people stealing the forklift by using wire cutters to get into a secure area at the store. The ATM was torn away from its spot in the drive-thru and loaded into “a stolen cargo van,” police say.

Just after 1:30 pm, the stolen van was spotted in Issaquah by state troopers. As our commenter wrote, a significant pursuit followed – with the van going the wrong way on one-way streets along the way – and eventually it was located in Lake City, with the ATM still inside. The suspects tried to run, “stripping off clothing” as they bolted, according to the report, but officers eventually caught them. Here’s the photo the commenter says shows the stolen van:

stolentruck
(Reader photo from Sunday)

The probable-cause documents say the two suspects both confessed to at least some parts of what happened, including stealing the ATM. The 28-year-old man is reported to have told police that this was the 8th time he has stolen an ATM, and the report describes him as “an extremely active ATM thief”; the 35-year-old man claimed it was his first, and, the report says, “seemed proud he didn’t hit any other vehicles during the pursuit.” Both are reported to have confessed to trying to get into the ATM safe with a saw – but being unable to.

Both are due back in court on Wednesday afternoon. The third suspect shown stealing the forklift is apparently still on the loose.

18 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: 2 suspects jailed in theft of West Seattle Junction US Bank ATM"

  • Chuck January 23, 2017 (5:22 pm)

    Oh dear. What morons. And the sheer gall of these guys! So pleased they got caught (I imagine they’re rolling on the 3rd guy as we speak). Tracy, I hope you can update with pictures. In the meantime, I’ll just hold the image of Moe, Larry and Curly in my mind. Great job, SPD and other agencies!

    • WSB January 23, 2017 (5:33 pm)

      I’m looking up their records now, and if either has done time in the state prison system we will be able to get photos, to use if/when they are charged. Lot of blanks to be filled in … the docs don’t say where the van/truck was stolen from, for example, nor whether it was found to contain anything besides the US Bank ATM, nor whether these guys are believed to be linked to any other recent heists (aside from the one suspect claiming he’d been involved in 8 thefts).

    • sun*e January 23, 2017 (10:30 pm)

      🤣

  • PSPS January 23, 2017 (5:57 pm)

    I thought it would be common knowledge by now that all ATM’s now have homing devices on them.

    • D. Radke-Bogen January 24, 2017 (12:03 pm)

      They must not read the West Seattle Blog, (where I read that.)

      • WSB January 24, 2017 (12:13 pm)

        The document from yesterday had no mention of homing-device involvement … but sometimes the probable-cause papers are a lot less detailed than the charging documents (if charges follow – we’ll find out as soon as tomorrow). The one case in which we did hear a lot about a homing device was the ATM stolen from SSC last year and found in an Arbor Heights yard … the tracking was all over the scanner for hours. – TR

  • WestCake January 23, 2017 (6:01 pm)

    Score one for the good guys. This is organized crime, these are not morons. Glad this was on the State Police’s radar. 

  • Double Dub Resident January 23, 2017 (6:26 pm)

    Haha haha haha haha POS 

  • supernova72 January 23, 2017 (6:51 pm)

    “Extremely active ATM thief”.  Not the best career choice IMHO.

  • Free eech January 23, 2017 (8:36 pm)

    Wow talk about dumb, and lame

  • Jon Wright January 23, 2017 (8:56 pm)

    This evokes images of the characters Gale and Evelle from Raising Arizona.

    • erm January 24, 2017 (1:11 pm)

      Ha! Too funny!  Those dudes would have made a lot more if they’d have sold the forklift!  I hope True Value gets it back btw.

  • DERECK KNIGHT January 23, 2017 (9:46 pm)

    Wow they remind of barber shop the movie https://youtu.be/GNsD8EVetbU

  • sun*e January 23, 2017 (10:43 pm)

    Bwahahaha…Busted!  And I couldn’t be happier!  😁👍

  • chemist January 24, 2017 (10:59 am)

    I don’t think that US Bank even has an ATM in the lobby, so until that one is replaced, the nearest US Bank ATM is going to be in SoDo (south of the Living Computer Museum) or in White Center.

    • Eric January 24, 2017 (12:20 pm)

      Yeah, there used to be one in Met Market, but as far as I know they haven’t replaced it after their remodeling.

  • D. Radke-Bogen January 24, 2017 (12:36 pm)

    But apparently they do read

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4082440/Burglars-make-ATM-using-stolen-forklift-topple-loading-U-Haul-truck.html

    A cash machine might have $10k but how much cash would be loaded in for a Monday night and how much would be left by 1:30am?

    Maybe the dude has stolen 8 machines but how many did he get cash out of?

    More reading. 

    http://m.ljworld.com/news/2012/may/26/atm-thefts-growing-concern/

  • John January 24, 2017 (2:22 pm)

    These clowns would have made off with more money from Gene Juarez Beauty Salon. More money than the bank machine, not a federal felony and beauty product  tips for free.

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