ATM robbery suspects accused of multi-state robbery spree tracked through Playstation 5 console data
The Brief
Three men were arrested in Houston for robbing an ATM from a Bank of America in Tempe.
Police were able to track down the suspects using GPS information and data from stolen cassettes and a Playstation 5.
The information was used to link the suspects to robberies in other states.
TEMPE, Ariz. - Tempe Police credit a video game controller with identifying the suspects in a multi-state ATM robbery spree.
Three men were arrested in Houston, Texas and the crime was all caught on surveillance video in November of last year.
What we know
An ATM at a Bank of America in Tempe was robbed by three men.
Several unique pieces of evidence link them to this crime.
At 10 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2024, two men are seen on surveillance video robbing an ATM.
"There were some ATM technicians out fixing one of the drive-through ATMs, and our suspects used that opportunity to approach the ATM. They asked the technicians to leave and then that's when they stole cassettes out of the ATM," said Jessica Ells with Tempe Police.
Ells said money is stored in cassettes that have GPS location data.
"Officers were able to use that GPS location data and within about an hour were able to find out where the cassettes had been taken," said Ells.
What's next
From there, Tempe Police found the rental car and cassettes left behind.
Inside the car, a PS5 console and controller.
"[Investigators] were able to gather account information from that PS5 and that account information is what led them to social media accounts linked to that. So the social media accounts that were associated is how we identified the suspects," said Ells.
Police say dashcam footage recovered from the getaway car puts the suspects at the scene.
They stole just under $280,000 dollars.
"Through the course of the investigation, it does appear that they are linked to other robberies in other states that all occurred in a very similar manner with approaching these ATMs and taking the cassettes," she said.
Big picture view
The three men arrested in Houston were identified as Maurice Brooks, Micah Lazaro and Anthony Smith.
"If you're going to ATMs, whether you're going into the bank or you're going to the ATM itself, whether through the drive-thru or the walk-up. Just always be aware of your surroundings. Be aware if anyone might be following you home or following you to your car. It's always important just to be aware that that situation could happen," she said.
So far two suspects have been extradited to Arizona and one is awaiting extradition on federal charges.
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