Crime & Safety
Burglars Grab Gaming Loot in Nervy Heist
Burglars loot ATM and video gaming machines for $29,000 at flower and wine shop, cops say.
Burglars pried their way into an Oak Lawn flower and wine shop during the overnight hours of Nov. 4, robbing the store’s ATM and video gaming machines, and stealing the security camera.
Oak Lawn police responded to a burglary just discovered at Avenue Flower and Wine Shop around 7:33 a.m.
Police said the owner had secured the shop the evening before around 8:30 p.m. When she arrived in the morning, she looked into the front window and noticed that the flashing lights on the gaming machines, indicating they had been disabled.
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She also saw that the doors to the machines were open and called police.
After securing the building, police determined that five gaming machines had been pried open.
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The burglars also broke into a safe, tossing the cash drawers and money canisters on the floor. Police also encountered betting slips and coins scattered in the rear of the building.
According to a representative from Fair Share Gaming in Tinley Park, the ATM contained $5,080, and the five gaming machines a combined loss of $9,328.
The safe contained $14,364 in cash, for a total loss of $28,272, reports said.
The owner also reported that all her computers had been damaged in the robbery.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
