ATM, cash, cigarettes stolen during armed robbery at gas station
Three men, one of whom was armed, robbed an Ypsilanti Township gas station of cash and cigarettes, then snatched an ATM on their way out the door early Monday morning, sheriff’s deputies said.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office reported the armed robbery occurred at 3:50 a.m. Monday at the Circle K gas station, 10131 Textile Road.
Deputies said the three men forced their way into the gas station and one of them showed a gun. They stole a small amount of cash from the cash register and demanded cigarettes, which a clerk handed over.
Before leaving, the men took an ATM and then fled on foot. Investigators found the ATM a short distance from the store. It’s believed the men tried to pry it open but were unsuccessful.
The men wore black clothing and black masks, but no other description information was available.
Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800 SPEAK UP (773-2587).
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
RJA
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 11:47 p.m.
It's to bad the clerk couldn't have shot them.....1-2-3-4- Gone!!
steven
Tue, Nov 27, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
Legally speaking, he could have.
Perry White
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 9:05 p.m.
"snatched an ATM on their way out the door" Was this some kind of unusually small ATM? According to a quick Google search, ATMs weigh at least 500 pounds. Even with three men, it would take time and effort, something that is not implied by "snatch" or "on their way out the door." I can see snatching a bottle of liquor or a candy bar on the way out the door, but not an ATM.
Perry White
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.
I'm glad to see that this has been changed to the much better "Before leaving, the men took an ATM and then fled on foot." But isn't it the annarbor.com policy to post a note, typically in italics at the top of the story, when a change has been made?
WalkingJoe
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 9:20 p.m.
Perry that was my thought when I posted my comment. Every ATM I've seen either had to be pulled out of a wall or looked just like what you found out on Google, weigh at least 500 pounds.
Mark Hergott
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 8:04 p.m.
See... the real problem is that people still use pieces of cotton and metal for economic transactions. I haven't touched cash if I could help it for a decade. In time, more and more people like me will make this sort of crime just not worth it. As for the argument "well, people will just steal it electronically"... if my bank account is attacked, I can have my money restored. Pieces of cotton are gone forever once someone takes it from me.
Ignatz
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
Looks like the ATM thieves never saw the movie Barbershop...
WalkingJoe
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 4:40 p.m.
Just wondering how big the ATM was and was it a stand alone or mounted? These guys must have thought they hit the jackpot but got a big disappointment when they couldn't pry it open. The criminal mind never ceases to amaze me, and it's not because most criminals are smart.
glimmertwin
Mon, Nov 26, 2012 : 4:36 p.m.
2nd time in the past 2 weeks.