Brazen Burglary: Thieves Ram Gas Station, Take ATM

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. (WJZ) -- A brazen burglary at a gas station in Fort Washington, Prince George's County is all caught on tape.

As Gigi Barnett explains, robbers used their vehicle to pull off an early morning ATM heist.

Minutes before 4 a.m. Friday, a black pickup truck pulls up to an Exxon gas station off Indian Head Highway.

Prince George's County detectives say the men inside were positioning the truck for an ATM heist.

Seconds later, two masked men jumped out and snatched the money machine.

"'Hey, hey. What you doing?' They didn't even take a look at me. Just picked up the ATM and go," said Moulton Kim, gas station owner.

Gas station owner Moulton Kim was just about to open the store when he heard the noise. He came running out screaming at the men, but they were gone as fast as they came.

"They take about one minute. They took off. It wasn't even one minute," Kim said.

Police are calling the crime a brazen and one that could have been fatal for Kim.

"We're fortunate that there were no injuries to the employee or anyone else," said Nicole Hubbard, Prince George's County Police.

Kim says the ATM machine did not have a homing device, so that money is gone. There was cash inside-about $1,500. He says this isn't the first time his gas station has been hit by thieves.

"Last October, four guys. Four guys. It was a masked men. They robbed me here. That time they beat me bad. I was sick for two weeks. Bad," said Kim.

Workers spent the day trying to clean up the mess and keep the station running. The bolts where the ATM stood are still in place.

Kim says he'll install another one, even if it means he'll have to deal with thieves.

"Yeah. ATM make good money. I'm going to put another one in there. This time I'll put some kind of device in it," he said.

Structural engineers have taken a look at the building and they say it is safe to go inside.

Prince George's County police say if you know the suspects or recognize the vehicle, they want to talk with you. Call detectives at 866-411-TIPS.