ATM dragged through Fort Worth storefront in failed Christmas Eve robbery

VIDEO: White Settlement ATM theft caught on camera

Thieves used a stolen SUV to rip an ATM out of a White Settlement 7-Eleven early Wednesday morning. The ATM was recovered not far from the scene after it came loose.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Police are asking for the public’s help to identify two men who tried to steal an ATM on Christmas Eve by dragging it from a store with a metal cable.

Attempted ATM theft (Fort Worth police)

What we know:

The incident occurred around 3:45 a.m. in the 2600 block of S. Cherry St. Investigators say the suspects tied a metal cable to the machine and attached it to an SUV. While the suspects managed to pull the ATM through the store's front glass doors, the machine became detached while they were driving away.

Officers later found the ATM abandoned on the Interstate 30 service road between S. Cherry Lane and Las Vegas Trail.

Attempted ATM theft (Fort Worth police)

Using license plate readers and surveillance technology, police located the getaway SUV less than a mile from the scene. Investigators determined the vehicle had been stolen from a Dallas apartment complex just an hour before the attempted theft.

Detectives believe the suspects abandoned the SUV and fled on foot or were picked up by another vehicle. 

Local perspective:

Fort Worth investigators are now working with neighboring departments to determine if this is linked to similar convenience store thefts reported in surrounding cities over the last two weeks.

Help police find ATM thief suspects

Attempted ATM theft (Fort Worth police)

What you can do:

Both suspects are described as men wearing black hooded sweatshirts, black pants, face masks, and orange gloves. One suspect wore white sneakers, while the other wore black tennis shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Geovanny Ramirez at 817-246-7070, ext. 420. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Tarrant County Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS.