Masked thieves use sledgehammer to steal cash from game machines at lounge
By Sara Tenenbaum, Sara Machi
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DOLTON, Illinois (WBBM) — Masked thieves used sledgehammers to break into and steal cash from gaming machines at a bar and lounge in Dolton.
Surveillance video from early Wednesday morning at Lucky Star Entertainment on Sibley Boulevard caught the thieves in action. They were wearing dark clothing and ski masks.
The owner said this is the third time the establishment has been targeted.
“They got one cash box right here,” owner Mike Edmund said. “They took this cash box out, and they couldn’t get this one out but they was right at it. But look at this machine; it was terrible.”
Police think the suspects, either three or four men, used those sledgehammers to shatter the front door of the lounge before tearing up the machines.
Edmund said he’ll likely be closed for several days after this.
“This is the damage that they did. The machines tore up. Look like they are about to try to get into the ATM. I’m not sure but they tore up one, two, three machines,” he said.
Dolton police were notified of the burglar alarm going off. Police said that as their officers arrived, the suspects took off in a black Dodge Challenger that had no visible registration.
There was a brief chase but police said they had to terminate the pursuit because of how fast the suspects were driving.
Edmund shared video of the burglary in hopes someone will recognize the crew. One man wore bright blue pants and white Nikes. He said the thieves hit just hours before their regularly scheduled, twice-weekly pickup.
“Definitely not an accident,” said retired Chicago police deputy superintendent Anthony Riccio. “Definitely not a coincidence.”
Riccio said it’s likely these thieves planned out their attack and knew the inner workings of this business.
“These guys knew that those machines would be loaded with cash. They knew there were several days’ worth of cash inside those machines. The timing is all about what they knew, and they knew that there would be a lot of money. And they knew that that was the night to hit,” he said.
Riccio said thieves hit for two reasons: it’s lucrative and it’s easy. That’s likely why Lucky Star Entertainment has been a repeat target.
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