Police say they have arrested three men on suspicion of yanking ATMs out of North Long Beach gas stations by chaining them to an SUV and peeling out.
During one of the crimes, police say, the thieves also barreled over a woman as they fled.
The thefts happened on July 14 at the 76 gas station on Paramount Boulevard near Artesia Boulevard and on July 15 at LB Fuel on Long Beach Boulevard near Artesia Boulevard, according to Long Beach police.
Each time, the trio wrapped a large chain around a stand-alone ATM, secured the chain to a stolen SUV and used the car to wrench the ATM from its moorings, police said.
During the July 15 theft, a woman walking nearby was struck by the chain while the SUV was turning during their escape, leaving her with life-threatening injuries, police said.
With help from the department’s Computer Crimes and Auto Theft Details, Burglary detectives identified three men responsible for the thefts and obtained warrants for their arrests.
Police said all three were arrested on Aug. 21. Authorities identified them as:
- Luis Alonso Torres Jr., 36, of Lynwood
- Richard Moran, 29, a person experiencing homelessness in Compton
- Clarence Hardiman III, 32, of Compton
During the arrests, detectives found a large chain “consistent with the group’s method of stealing ATMs,” police said. Detectives also recovered a stolen car and a stolen motorcycle, police said. Court records show all three alleged thieves were arraigned on Aug. 25. Moran and Torres were being held on $225,000 bail, while Hardiman was being held on $275,000.
Both Hardiman and Torres pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of attempted grand theft of money, a felony count of grand theft of property, felony hit and run resulting in injury to another person, conspiracy to commit a crime and two counts of driving or taking a vehicle without consent.
Moran pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of attempted grand theft of money, a felony count of grand theft of property, felony hit and run resulting in injury to another person and conspiracy to commit a crime.
If convicted, prosecutors say Hardiman and Torres could each face up to 25 years in prison, while Moran could face up to 15 years in prison.