Court filings say the men followed an ATM technician, rushed him and fled to a nearby house where police recovered the cash.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Four men accused of robbing an ATM worker of about $30,000 on the Northwest Side are now facing federal bank robbery charges, according to newly filed court records and local police. The arrests came hours after the midday theft on Nov. 13, when officers traced a getaway vehicle to a nearby home and recovered the money.
The case moved from local to federal within days, raising the stakes for the suspects as prosecutors outlined a coordinated grab-and-run targeting a technician servicing an ATM along Interstate 10 West. San Antonio police say the group rushed the worker around 11:30 a.m., took a bag containing tens of thousands in cash and sped off. Investigators quickly identified a residence tied to the vehicle and made arrests without incident that evening. The shift to federal court means possible stiffer penalties and places the case with agents and prosecutors who handle bank-related robberies tied to federally insured financial institutions.
Police identified those arrested as Jack Bledsoe, 22; Amare Wolford, 18; Quinton Graham, 17; and Lavantray Simmons, 24. Officers recovered roughly $30,000 believed to be the entire amount taken in the holdup. The robbery happened in the 9400 block of I-10 West while the victim was servicing an ATM, authorities said. A witness called 911 as the robbery unfolded, and patrol units began searching the corridor within minutes. Detectives later followed leads to a house a short drive away. By nightfall, all four suspects were in custody; they were booked on state counts that included aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity, pending federal review. As officers placed him in a patrol unit, Bledsoe told assembled reporters, “I love my son. I love my family,” before the door closed.
Federal charging documents filed in San Antonio outline a brief, coordinated operation: a car idling nearby as the technician accessed the machine, at least one suspect grabbing a cash bag, and a rapid escape toward neighborhood streets off the interstate. Investigators said no shots were fired and no injuries were reported. The victim, an employee contracted to service the ATM, gave a description that matched surveillance images collected from nearby businesses, according to police. Authorities said the cash was found during a search at the residence where the suspects were detained. Officials did not immediately disclose whether a weapon was displayed or whether the federal case includes an allegation that a firearm was used. The ages of the defendants range from 17 to 24; it was not immediately clear if the 17-year-old will be handled as an adult in state court in addition to the federal case.
San Antonio has seen a series of ATM-related crimes in recent years, including thefts of stand-alone machines from hotels and storefronts and robberies of people servicing or using cash dispensers. Police have warned that crews sometimes trail technicians on predictable routes, striking during daylight windows when vaults are open. In the April 2025 hotel incident on the Northwest Side, two suspects wheeled out an entire ATM with a dolly before driving away, according to a preliminary report. The Northwest Side corridor around Loop 410 and I-10 includes clusters of banks, hotels and retail centers that draw both heavy traffic and regular armored-car and ATM service stops, making the area a recurring focus for property and robbery squads. While most cases end in local prosecutions, federal authorities typically adopt files when the target is an ATM tied to a federally insured bank or when interstate elements or organized groups are alleged.
After Thursday’s arrests, prosecutors sought federal bank robbery counts and related allegations tied to the theft from the ATM technician. Initial appearances in federal court are expected soon, followed by detention hearings to decide whether the defendants remain in custody while the case proceeds. The state charges filed after the arrests remain active, and any decision to dismiss or consolidate them will come later. If a grand jury returns an indictment, arraignments could be scheduled within weeks. Investigators are reviewing electronic evidence from cellphones and cameras seized at the residence and are checking whether the same crew is linked to other thefts involving cash couriers or ATM service routes. Authorities did not announce any additional suspects and said the entire stolen amount was recovered.
Outside the home where officers made the arrests, neighbors described a sudden arrival of patrol vehicles and unmarked units as night fell. One resident said officers moved quickly through the front yard and emerged with several young men in handcuffs. Another neighbor said the block was reopened within an hour and children were soon back outside. “It was over fast,” the neighbor said. At the robbery scene earlier that day, traffic along I-10 slowed as patrol cars clustered near a strip center driveway while detectives spoke with the technician and canvassed for video. Police Chief William McManus was briefed by command staff, according to the department, and the victim was released after providing a statement.
The four remain jailed while federal proceedings begin this week. Officials say the next key step is an initial appearance and potential detention hearing, where a magistrate judge could set conditions of release or order continued custody. Investigators say they have recovered the cash and are working to finalize reports for prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated November 23, 2025.