FRESNO, CA – A cunning group of international criminals has been targeting ATMs across California, employing elaborate disguises and high-tech methods to execute their heists. Federal agents have been on their trail, unraveling a scheme that reads like a Hollywood thriller. The criminals, posing as construction workers, meticulously planned their attacks, leaving investigators with a complex puzzle to piece together.
The investigation began in May when the FBI noticed similarities between an attempted ATM robbery in Merced and other cases in Sacramento. The gang’s use of construction vests and medical masks, combined with tactics like spray-painting security cameras and using signal blockers, caught the attention of authorities. The group’s activities spanned the state, with notable incidents occurring in the Central Valley, where they made off with substantial sums of money.
In one bold operation in Modesto, the criminals used a divide-and-conquer strategy to infiltrate a business adjacent to an ATM. While some members distracted employees, others assessed the building’s vulnerabilities. Later, under the cover of night, they returned to breach the pet spa’s walls, gaining access to the ATM with a blowtorch.
Similar methods were employed in Fresno and Clovis, where the gang targeted five locations between May and September. They successfully looted three of these sites, netting approximately $400,000 collectively. Surveillance footage from these incidents helped the FBI identify three vehicles frequently seen at the crime scenes. One of these cars, part of an underground rental operation, was linked to a Hollywood club promoter.
The FBI’s investigation took a technological turn when they discovered an AirTag in one of the stolen vehicles. This device led them to a Turlock Airbnb, where the suspects had stayed. By analyzing Airbnb reviews and social media posts, investigators were able to track the group’s movements along the West Coast. A money app transaction further helped identify one of the suspects.
After months of relentless investigation, the FBI compiled a suspect list of ten individuals, with nine identified as Chilean nationals. These individuals now face a range of charges related to the heist operation. Many of the suspects have prior criminal histories and have used multiple identities to evade capture. One suspect may even face extradition to Chile for a 2015 theft case involving a fatality.
The group’s audacious crime spree netted them an estimated $2.5 million, according to reports. As federal agents continue to pursue the remaining suspect, the case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which criminals will go to exploit technology and evade law enforcement.