LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two Southern California men used the Jaws of Life or other power tools to crack open Chase bank ATMs and steal more than $460,000, federal prosecutors said Friday.
James Costilow and David Silva Jr. were charged in U.S. District Court in Riverside with attempted bank theft in a failed Murrieta heist Tuesday morning.
The duo has been involved in 15 heist attempts at Chase ATMs in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties in the past six months, according to an affidavit filed with the charge. Four of those thefts were successful and netted $462,093.
The scheme detailed by FBI agent Richard Rice involved elements of sophistication and sheer force.
Early Monday morning, one of the suspects used a generic key to open the ATM and type in a code to indicate the machine needed more money, Rice said. There was approximately $30,000 in the machine at the time.
After more cash was delivered later that day, the machine held more than $111,000.
Police were watching when the would-be thieves returned just before midnight.
Straps attached to the bumper of a stolen van were wrapped around the ATM. One of the men then cut through the ATM door hinges.
When the van tried to pull the door from the machine, however, the bumper broke off.
Police gave chase as Costilow, 38, of Riverside fled on a motorcycle and Silva, 25, of Fontana drove away in the van.
Costilow crashed the motorcycle and ran onto a golf course, shedding his helmet, a jacket and a ski mask. A bloodhound tracked him to a house where he was found hiding behind a chimney on a roof.
Silva was arrested a few hours later after a police dog chased him down.
A lawyer for Silva declined to comment. Costilow’s lawyer did not immediately return a phone message or email seeking comment.
Both men were held without bond Friday after making initial court appearances. They were scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 15.
