WASHINGTON, DC - Thefts of ATMs, where people walk away with an entire machine, are increasing in frequency, NPR reports.
Four years ago, there were 120 reported ATM thefts nationwide. Two years later, Texas alone exceeded that number.
The thefts occur in pocketed clusters, as thieves hit multiple locations within a region. In California, Oakland reported four ATM thefts last month, while San Diego County encountered nearly twice that number in the past few weeks. An ATM theft can result in the loss of tens of thousands of dollars, as a fully stocked ATM can hold as much as $200,000.
"The amount of money in some of these machines would blow you away," said Gary Akey, operations director with the Security Center in Dallas, a bank surveillance and security company. He added that two robberies last summer near Dallas together yielded $250,000. "That's a pretty good payday for a couple of minutes work."
Removing an ATM is not easy, as thieves either physically batter a bank island with a truck or drive through a store window and then "lasso" the machine with a chain. In many instances, they also use a forklift.
"We do see banks targeted in the vicinity of construction sites," said Doug Johnson, vice president of risk management policy for the American Bankers Association. "Folks would find construction equipment or a backhoe that can dig the ATM out, theoretically."
Penalties for stealing ATMs are less severe than for bank robbery. An armed robbery, for instance, could lead to federal charges, but stealing an ATM is generally considered simple theft.
Merchants and banks are trying new precautions to protect their machines. One device called the Raminator incorporates a pair of steel plates that bolt machines in place. It has reduced ATM thefts in Australia by 95 percent. However, such equipment is expensive.
Other merchants employ steps that are common for preventing almost any type of crime, such as improving the lighting around the machines, and moving ATMs deeper into their stores.
Despite the theft risk, few are considering getting rid of ATMs.
"It's less about the money you make by having the ATM and really about the customers you gain," said NACS spokesperson Jeff Lenard. "The ATM's job is to give the customer money ?" and the rest of the store is designed to give customers a chance to spend the money."