Christmas Eve ATM Heist Goes Awry in Texas
In the quiet early hours of Christmas Eve, while most residents of White Settlement, Texas, were nestled in their beds awaiting holiday celebrations, two determined thieves attempted a brazen heist that would ultimately end in failure. Just before 4 AM on Wednesday, the pair targeted a local 7-Eleven in Fort Worth, employing a stolen SUV and a metal cable in their plot to steal an ATM machine. The White Settlement Police Department later released surveillance footage capturing the dramatic scene as the suspects towed the ATM through the store’s shattered glass doors before making their getaway. However, their plan quickly unraveled when the ATM broke free from the cable during their escape, forcing them to abandon their prize in the street.
This failed robbery didn’t occur in isolation. Police investigators believe this incident may be connected to a pattern of similar convenience store crimes that have plagued the North Texas region in recent weeks. The method used—a “smash and grab” technique involving a vehicle and cable—bears hallmarks of other ATM thefts in the area, suggesting this might be part of an organized criminal effort. Authorities are now working to determine whether these same individuals are responsible for the string of similar crimes and have turned to the public for assistance in identifying the suspects, who were careful to conceal their identities by wearing dark clothing and covering their faces throughout the incident.
The aftermath of the attempted theft left the 7-Eleven in disarray, with extensive damage extending beyond the shattered storefront. Store merchandise, shelving units, and debris were scattered throughout the interior and spilled into the parking lot, creating a chaotic scene for employees and investigators alike. According to police reports, the thieves needed two attempts to successfully dislodge the ATM from its position inside the store, suggesting they encountered unexpected resistance during the robbery. This prolonged effort not only increased the damage to the establishment but also extended the time they remained at the scene, potentially increasing their risk of being caught.
The thieves’ getaway vehicle, a black SUV, had been stolen from Dallas prior to the robbery, adding another layer to their criminal activities. After the ATM detached from their vehicle during the escape, the suspects continued fleeing, apparently unwilling to stop and risk capture while attempting to recover their target. Law enforcement later recovered the abandoned ATM, which had been dragged from its original location but ultimately proved too unwieldy for the thieves to maintain control of during their hasty departure. This twist of fate saved the store owners from a complete loss, though the property damage remains substantial.
White Settlement police officers employed modern surveillance technology in their response to the crime, utilizing license plate readers and city cameras strategically placed throughout the area to track the suspects’ movements. These tools allowed investigators to trace the stolen SUV to a location approximately half a mile from the convenience store, providing valuable information for the ongoing investigation. This technological approach to crime-solving represents the evolving nature of law enforcement in combating increasingly sophisticated criminal enterprises, particularly those involving coordinated theft rings that may operate across multiple jurisdictions.
As the investigation continues, this Christmas Eve caper serves as a reminder of the persistent challenges faced by convenience store operators and law enforcement, even during what should be peaceful holiday periods. The boldness of attempting such a theft on a night traditionally associated with goodwill highlights the opportunistic nature of some criminals. Meanwhile, police remain determined to identify and apprehend the suspects, hoping that the surveillance footage and physical evidence will eventually lead to arrests. For now, the recovered ATM stands as a testament to a holiday heist gone wrong, while store owners throughout the region remain on heightened alert for similar attempts during the vulnerable overnight hours when such establishments are typically at their most exposed.
