DeKalb County Police are investigating after an attempted ATM theft caused significant damage to a CVS Pharmacy on Lawrenceville Highway. The incident, which took place just before 4 a.m. on Tuesday, resulted in the building's facade being torn apart and the front door sustaining serious damage, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Surveillance footage from a nearby store appeared to show a group using a U-Haul to smash into the CVS and haul away part of the ATM, "In this world, you gotta expect the unexpected," Bill Zurmuehl, a local auto repair shop manager, told FOX 5 Atlanta. "People will do anything these days. Yes, there are security cameras, but all they're going to do is provide video." Despite these measures, the suspects remain at large, and the authorities have yet to determine if the cash box was stolen.
This marks the third similar incident at CVS stores in the metro Atlanta area over the last five months, with previous burglaries involving similar methods on Cascade Road and at a store on the corner of Parkwood Circle and Powers Ferry Road, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. The repetitive nature of these crimes suggests a potential pattern or connection, though police have not confirmed this.
As reported by WSB-TV, shocking video showed burglars using large yellow straps to yank an ATM off its foundation and load it onto a truck. Concerned customer Ella Gonzales expressed her disbelief, saying, "I don’t understand why people do those kinds of things." The escalation of ATM thefts has prompted Jeff Lenard of the National Association of Convenience Stores to suggest preventative measures. "You look at things like putting in pollards, which are those poles that go in front of stores. You use dye packs or GPS to help with apprehension. You move the ATMs to another location to make it more difficult for a criminal to pick your store," Lenard shared with WSB-TV.
The DeKalb County Police Department is asking anyone with information relating to the investigation to come forward. With multiple CVS pharmacies targeted in recent months, it remains urgent to apprehend those responsible to prevent further incidents and ensure community safety.
