The Chicago Police Department successfully dismantled an ATM burglary crew on Friday morning, resulting in three arrests and the seizure of seven firearms, ATMs, and significant cash sums, according to officials.
The operation was initiated with various CPD units monitoring police radio for burglary reports overnight, as detailed in a police press release. At around 3:25 a.m., four burglars broke a business window on the 3500 block of West Fullerton Avenue in Logan Square, stole an ATM, and escaped in a vehicle that was later found to be stolen. A community tip was instrumental in identifying this vehicle.
Roughly an hour later, at 4:24 a.m., the same vehicle reappeared on the 2500 block of North Halsted Street in Lincoln Park. Video footage captured several burglars breaking into a business and making off with an ATM.
At around 5:30 a.m., police responded to a burglary alarm on the 3600 block of West 26th Street in Little Village, where the same suspects had stolen another ATM and a cash register.
Collaborating with the ATF, officers tracked the burglars’ movements and conducted surveillance, leading to the arrest of two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, linked to these burglaries. Both face three felony burglary charges and one misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass to a vehicle.
A search warrant on a property in the 7800 block of South Cornell Avenue uncovered seven firearms, three of which were fully automatic, according to the CPD. Investigators also found two damaged ATMs from prior incidents, cash, cash register drawers, burglary tools, and devices used to reprogram vehicles for theft.
Eighteen-year-old Avion Moore, residing at that address, faces charges of three counts of unlawful use of a machine gun and four counts of unlawful use of a weapon. Moore is set to appear at a detention hearing on Saturday.
Detectives continue to work on identifying additional members of the burglary crew.
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