Los Angeles Police Seek Help in String of ATM Thefts

LOS ANGELES -- Thieves in the San Fernando Valley have been yanking ATMs out of liquor stores and emptying the pockets of taco truck workers over the last three months, and police believe there may be additional victims or suspects. They are calling on the public for assistance.

In an afternoon news conference at the LAPD's North Hollywood station Tuesday, detectives said multiple arrests had been made in two separate cases.

In the case of the snatched ATMs, Police Lt. Samer Issa said four suspects were recently arrested in a series of robberies and burglaries that removed the machines with brute force at liquor stores in the Mission Hills and West Valley area. The crimes, he said, occurred from Aug. 16 to Oct. 16. He said at least one crime involved a carjacking.

"In all incidents, the suspects forced open the front door of the business, entered the premises and tied a chain around the ATM machine," he said. "The suspects then use their vehicle to pull the machine out of the business, load it to the back of the vehicle and leave the scene."

The ATMs, Issa said, were discarded once the money was removed. He could not say how much money had been taken but said the damage to the stores had cost business owners thousands of dollars.

Among the businesses targeted was Village Market & Liquor near the intersection of Eldridge Avenue and Sayre Street in Sylmar, police said.

The early-morning burglary on Sept. 25 was captured by the store's security cameras. According to the footage obtained by CBS News, two people in dark clothing used a chain tied to a white SUV to pull the metal security doors out. The thieves are then seen using a crowbar to force open the glass door before entering the store and then chaining the machine to the car to pull it out.

Issa declined to provide further details about the case because it was still an open investigation, but on Oct. 16, he said, investigators served search warrants at several homes in Sylmar and Canyon Country, where they recovered numerous items connected to the crimes including money and three vehicles. Police also arrested four suspects.

They were identified as Los Angeles residents Anthony Cacho, 22, Stephany Gonzalez-Jimenez, 24, and Richard Nevarez, 24, and Luis Angel Rodriguez-Arroyo, 40, of Santa Clarita.

The suspects face several felony charges including conspiracy to commit burglary and commercial burglary. Additionally, Cacho is facing one count of possession of an unregistered assault weapon, and Rodriguez-Arroyo is facing one count of carjacking, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Nevarez, who was arrested on suspicion of robbery, has not been charged.

On the same day that the four suspects were taken into custody, Los Angeles Police Department investigators were also making an arrest in another case in the Valley involving several armed robberies of taco truck businesses and a 7-Eleven convenience store.

LAPD Capt. Warner Castillo, commanding officer of the North Hollywood area, said the eight armed robberies occurred between Sept. 8 and Sept. 21.

He said in each of the taco truck robberies, the suspect brandished a gun and took an unspecified amount of money, mostly from the food truck workers.

Castillo said the suspect targeted taco trucks in North Hollywood, Foothill, Mission Hills and the Van Nuys area, where at least one of the robberies included the 7-Eleven.

Castillo said video from security cameras helped detectives identify the suspect.

During a search warrant in the Mission Hills area on Oct. 16, he said, police investigators arrested Jesus Garcia-Sotelo, 27, in connection with the armed robberies.

During the search, he said, a vehicle and clothing worn by the suspect during all eight robberies were seized.

Prosecutors have charged Garcia-Sotelo with eight counts of robbery with a handgun, two counts of attempted robbery and 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Garcia-Sotelo, who was on probation at the time of his arrest, remains in county jail without bail.

Police detectives are asking anyone who may have been a victim or has information about other suspects to call (818) 838-9810; anonymous tips can be made at (800) 222-8477.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.