ATM Heist Hijinks: Venezuelan Duo Nabbed in $187K Jackpotting Spree!

Hot Take:

Looks like the Venezuelan duo missed the memo that jackpotting only really works if you don’t get caught red-handed in front of a surveillance camera. If you’re going to play with ATMs like they’re oversized piggy banks, maybe don’t leave a video trail longer than a CVS receipt. Justice Department: 1, Wannabe digital bandits: 0.

Key Points:

• Two Venezuelan nationals, Gomez-Cegarra and Hernandez-Gil, were nabbed for ATM jackpotting.
• The dynamic duo managed to withdraw over $110,000 from a single ATM in New York.
• They are also suspected of other heists in Massachusetts and Illinois, totaling $187,000.
• The arrests were made in Illinois after their vehicle’s “suspicious activity” raised eyebrows.
• They face charges of bank theft and conspiracy, with a potential 10-year stay in prison.

ATM Heists: Cashing Out with the Wrong Key

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you a key to an ATM, well, apparently you make a withdrawal without the usual PIN hassles. Gomez-Cegarra and Hernandez-Gil took the express route to the headlines by allegedly cracking open ATMs like they were on a shopping spree at a candy store. Surveillance cameras captured them in New York, where they used a key to pop open an ATM and install some tech wizardry. Their late-night shopping adventure netted them over $110,000. Talk about a pricey midnight snack!

Cross-State Cash Craze: Illinois and Massachusetts Join the Party

Not content with just New York, these modern-day Robin Hoods (minus the altruism) apparently decided to expand their repertoire to include Massachusetts and Illinois in their ATM jackpotting tour. Investigators suspect these guys for taking out enough cash to fund a small army, with $187,000 reportedly lifted across the states. Sadly for them, this heist tour didn’t include a getaway plan worthy of a Hollywood script.

Illinois: Where the Jackpotting Journey Ends

The tale took a twist in Illinois when the duo’s vehicle caught the attention of law enforcement due to “suspicious activity”. It’s as if their car had a neon sign screaming “We did something sketchy!” Police promptly stopped them, putting an end to their jackpotting escapades. The charges? Bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank theft. If convicted, these charges could mean up to 10 years behind bars. That’s a long time to think about life choices and dream of ATMs that don’t bite back.

Not Their First Rodeo: A Trend in ATM Mischief

The arrests come on the heels of another ATM jackpotting bust involving six other Venezuelans in December 2023. That gang swiped a whopping $400,000 across several New York counties. While it’s still unclear if these cases are connected, one thing’s for sure: New York seems to be a hotbed for those who fancy themselves as ATM whisperers. Perhaps it’s time for the Big Apple to upgrade its ATM security from “1999” to “Fort Knox”?