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FROM STAFF REPORTS
Johnson City authorities, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are actively investigating a series of automated teller machine (ATM) burglaries that have taken place in recent months.
The spree began on Oct. 10 around 3:30 a.m. when officers responded to Tennessee Credit Union at 310 Sunset Drive. At the scene, a truck was discovered positioned with the ATM underneath it, and portions of the ATM were missing. Eyewitnesses reported observing two individuals fleeing from the area.
A similar incident occurred on Nov. 29 at approximately 3:45 a.m. at Elizabethton Federal Savings Bank located at 304 Sunset Drive. Responding officers found the ATM forcibly removed from its base and damaged, with a truck still tethered to it.
The most recent incident transpired on Dec. 19 around 6:15 a.m. at Bank of Tennessee on 100 Med Tech Parkway. Law enforcement found a running truck equipped with hooks, connected to an ATM dislodged from its foundation.
Authorities suspect a potential link between these crimes due to the consistent use of stolen trucks and a shared modus operandi to access the ATMs. Similar incidents are under investigation in other regions of the state and across the country.
Individuals possessing information relevant to these incidents are urged to contact the Johnson City Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at (423) 434-6166. For those preferring anonymity, Crime Stoppers can be reached at (423) 434-6158. Confidential tips can also be submitted by texting 423 JCPD and your tip to 847411 (TIP411), or via www.citizenobserver.com.
Additionally, the Police Department encourages the public to report any suspicious activity near ATMs by dialing 911 for immediate assistance.