Three suspects arrested in White Settlement Christmas Eve ATM theft caught on viral video, police say
Three men have been arrested in connection with a Christmas Eve ATM theft that was caught on surveillance video and widely shared online, the White Settlement Police Department announced Saturday.
Police said Jay Gerard Jones Jr., 28; Aaron Tre Vuentae Rabon Alex, 26; and Bronya Keshawn Freeman, 24, are facing first‑degree felony charges of engaging in organized crime.
According to authorities, one suspect is accused of entering the store and attaching the chain to the ATM, another is accused of driving the stolen Yukon used to rip it out of the building, and a third is accused of operating a separate getaway vehicle with stolen plates.
Police said all three suspects are being held in the Tarrant County Jail.
Christmas Eve theft caught on video
Police said that just before 3:45 a.m. on Dec. 24, two men in a stolen SUV from Dallas pulled up to the 7‑Eleven in the 2600 block of South Cherry Lane and tied a metal cable to the store's ATM.
Authorities said surveillance video showed one suspect smashing a window with a sledgehammer before running inside to attach the cable as shelves of chips and candy toppled around him.
Police said the driver then accelerated, ripping the ATM through the storefront and striking a parked vehicle as the suspects fled. Authorities said no injuries were reported. Police later found the ATM abandoned on the I‑30 service road between South Cherry Lane and South Las Vegas Trail after it dislodged from the cable.
Vehicle tracked through camera systems
According to police, officers from White Settlement and Fort Worth used license plate readers and camera technology to track the suspects' vehicle, which was found abandoned in the 2700 block of Shenandoah Road. Authorities said the SUV had been reported stolen out of Dallas and was processed by the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office.
Tip sparks major break in case
Police said the investigation gained momentum within 24 hours of the incident after a credible tip came in through Tarrant County Crime Stoppers, identifying one of the main suspects. Authorities said the tip followed extensive news coverage of the surveillance video, which drew national attention.
According to police, Detective Geovanny Ramirez worked with investigators from Bedford, Euless, the Texas Rangers, and other agencies to determine whether similar ATM thefts across North Texas were connected. Police said Ramirez obtained three felony arrest warrants tied to the White Settlement case over the following months.
Cash recovered; more charges possible
Authorities said all the stolen cash was recovered, and police said additional charges have been filed in related cases across North Texas.
Chief of Police Christopher Cook praised the collaborative effort and said the case required extensive investigation, strong partnerships and quick work by the department's investigative team.
