Cheney police were able to identify the SUV used in the theft of an ATM and Lotto tickets from City Fuel through some unique features - including the wear patterns on the vehicle's tire side walls.
Cheney Police investigators have solved an ATM theft that took place this past spring, thanks to the thieves making off with quite a bit of "scratch" - literally.
Sometime around 4 a.m. on the morning of May 26, video surveillance camera footage at the City Fuel Gas Station, 2302 First St., recorded three individuals approach the front door, and using some type of bar, destroy the lock, forcing the door open. Cheney Police Capt. Rick Beghtol said the video showed the individuals then leaving, but returning soon after when they realized no alarm had been sounded.
The individuals then entered the business and removed the ATM, dragging and loading it into a waiting white SUV. The individuals also got behind the City Fuel counter and stole what Beghtol said was "a ton" of Lotto game scratch tickets.
Police weren't able to identify any of the suspects on the video, but noted the vehicle had some marks and features that would make it stand out. A subsequent check with the Spokane Police Department revealed the vehicle had been stopped and the IDs of the three individuals checked.
Beghtol said Cheney now had names to go with faces. Cheney Detective Justin Hobbs contacted a Spokane Police detective who specializes in Lotto scratch ticket thefts, and began tracking them as some of the stolen City Fuel tickets were redeemed for cash.
Beghtol said they contacted the stores that paid out on the tickets to see if there was video footage of the transactions, and if there was, reviewed it and began "connecting the dots."
On Aug. 3, Cheney Police arrested Shawn C. Wallwork, 41, and Justin R. Jordan, 34, both of Spokane on charges of second-degree burglary, money laundering and third-degree malicious mischief.
Beghtol said both men appear to have had extensive contact with law enforcement, and actually specialize in stealing Lotto tickets. Tracking them down was not easy.
"It was a bear, to be honest," Beghtol said. "Justin (Hobbs) worked his tail off."
Police eventually located the stolen ATM in some woods just off Craig Road. The machine had been destroyed to get to the cash box.
Beghtol said City Fuel employees had stocked the ATM with cash just four days prior to the break-in and were unsure of the number of transactions conducted. The amount taken ranged from $6,000 – $8,000, with the amount of Lotto tickets cashed in by the pair amounting to $1,955.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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