Thieves drive through convenience store to steal ATM

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — College Park police are on the hunt for three men who drove through a gas station convenience store with a van.

Police said it happened at an Exxon gas station on Virginia Avenue in College Park Thursday morning.

Police told Channel 2's Audrey Washington a passerby first spotted the three men inside the convenience store with the van parked near Virginia Avenue.

That person called police, but by the time officers arrived the trio were gone, along with the store's ATM.

Police found the van and had it taken to their tow yard.

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When Washington got to the scene she spoke with the owner of the gas station car wash, which is attached to the store.

He didn’t want to show his face, but told Washington this isn’t the first time thieves tried to break in and steal the ATM.

“Yes it happened before, where they tried to get in, well they did get in but they didn’t succeed at anything,” he said.

Washington asked him why anyone would try this again.

“Desperate. Desperate for something. They need something and they figured this would be the opportunity to get it.”

Police are now processing the van for evidence. They told Washington they hope some of the surveillance video both inside and outside of the store will help with the case.

“We're in very preliminary stages of our investigation so we don’t have any suspects identified and that’s where we are right now,” Maj. Lance Patterson said.

The owner of the store told Washington off-camera, that she’ll get it all boarded up, but doesn’t know when she’ll be able to reopen.

Cox Media Group