A smash and grab robbery in Covington Township, Pennsylvania resulted in an ATM theft despite ATM video surveillance. An on-site surveillance camera recorded the criminal activity. The suspects had a stolen vehicle, a long cable, and a chain. Live ATM monitoring was not reported at the Scranton-area shopping center property.
The suspects jumped out of the stolen 2005 Chevrolet from a nearby Scranton country club. The stolen Chevrolet had a snowplow and a salt spreader attached. The smash and grab thieves attached a chain to the ATM.
In less than a minute, ATM video surveillance showed the machine was pulled outside the door. The ATM theft resulted in property damage and a loss of $14,000 in stored cash. The stolen Chevrolet and part of the equipment used in the theft was found later that day. The cash box was not recovered.
The local police spokesperson said that ATM theft there was rare. Smash and grab robberies did happen in Pennsylvania, but this criminal activity doesn’t happen in Covington Township very often.
This store and shopping center were not Stealth Monitoring clients.
ATM theft occurs all over the United States. A shopping center client in Dallas, Texas took advantage of Stealth Monitoring’s virtual guard service. Unlike the Scranton incident, the Dallas shopping center was monitored in real-time by Stealth’s live ATM video surveillance.
A 1993 Chevrolet pickup truck loitered at a Dallas shopping center parking lot. The Chevrolet reversed the truck into a grocery store twice. This was an attempt to dislodge the ATM. Two suspects ran out of the Chevy. The masked thieves attempted to clear a path to the ATM.
A Stealth operator activated the on-site speaker. The suspects attempted to flee the scene of the crime. Stealth Monitoring called the Dallas Police. Dallas Police arrived at the shopping center within five minutes. Stealth calls often get priority dispatch because we report burglaries and other live crimes in progress.
Stealth Monitoring and UCIT Online are the leaders in live video surveillance in the U.S. and Canada with over 400 employees, 9 offices, and 3 live video monitoring control centers. Stealth proactive video monitoring watches over 15,000 cameras and can detect and deter crime in Scranton, Pennsylvania and other cities while reducing security guard and other expenses. Stealth’s virtual security guard service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance Stealth operator can see unusual activity near an ATM, activate a speaker warning, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (866) 382-3873 or contact Stealth today for more information on ATM video surveillance to protect your shopping center. Visit our web site to see actual videos of criminals being apprehended at a range of commercial businesses.
