Brazen burglars smash truck into Berkeley store, drag away ATM

Brazen burglars smash truck into Berkeley store, drag away ATM

Thieves smashed a stolen truck into a Berkeley 7-Eleven, and used the vehicle to drag an ATM out of the store. They made off with thousands of dollars, leaving the stolen vehicle and the ATM in the street.

BERKELEY, Calif. - Police in Berkeley are searching for whoever is behind a burglary at a convenience store near the university campus. A pickup truck smashed through the front window of a 7-Eleven early Sunday morning, then dragged away the ATM. People in the area say this is not the first store that's been hit. 

What we know:

The incident occurred around 3 a.m.

"We have an alarm system. We got a call from them," said the store's manager, who didn't want to be identified. 

After breaking into the business, the thieves hooked a chain to the ATM and used the truck to drag it out of the store and break it open. The manager said they made off with thousands of dollars, and fled before the police arrived.

"It's like something straight out of a movie, like wild. That's crazy," customer Dylan Vang said. 

Upon fleeing the scene, the perpetrators left the truck and the ATM in the middle of the road. 

A daunting cleanup

The theft caused extensive damage to the store.

"It was hard, really hard this morning," the manager said. "Most of the stuff in the grocery section, everything is broken right now."

The cleanup took most of Sunday morning, with help from Amber Ammons — a supplier who'd stopped by to make a delivery. 

"When I came, it broke my heart," Ammons said. "They're always so kind to me, giving me lunch and free water, so why not lend a hand and help them clean this mess up? It's sad." 

The store was able to reopen by late Sunday morning. 

Concerns over recent ATM thefts

Ammons says she's been telling store owners to consider getting rid of their ATMs, because thefts like this have been on the rise--especially along Telegraph Avenue. 

"I have this 7-Eleven that's been hit, Ashby Market, that's been hit, Queen of Shiba that's been hit, the CVS down the street," Ammons said. 

The numerous thefts, she said, have made her extra cautious when she's working in the area.

"When I'm getting off the truck, you have to be really aware, watch your surroundings," Ammons said.

What you can do:

If you have any information about the crimes, call the Berkeley Police Department at (510)-981-5900.