Five men arrested after attempting to steal ATM from bank

Five men from Houston, Texas have been arrested after being accused of trying to steal an ATM from a bank in Forsyth County. Deputies on Thursday caught the first three suspects in the act at the Chase Bank on Buford Highway, a news release from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said.

The suspects were found using a stolen pickup truck with a large chain attached to the rear bumper to pull the ATM from its concrete base.

The suspects fled the scene on foot when they saw the deputies, leaving the truck and ATM. Deputies and a K-9 unit searched the area until they found two of them. The third suspect was arrested during a nearby traffic stop, the release said.

The suspects were identified as Samuel Brown, 26, Bernard Lewis, 27, and Katreyvion Smith, 19. They were charged with theft by taking, theft by receiving and criminal damage to property.

Two days after their arrest, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle after it failed to maintain lane near Chase Bank located on Commerce Blvd. Deputies said they smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and so searched the vehicle.

During the search, the deputies said they found multiple random tools that could be used for burglary, including two heavy chains with hooks identical to those used during Thursday’s ATM theft.

The release said there were also two Texas license plates inside the vehicle as well as directions to other banks in the area.

The suspects arrested following the traffic stop were identified as Ricky Bridgewater, 31, and Lorenzo Moore, 48. They were charged with loitering and prowling and possession of tools for the commission of a crime. 

All five suspects are now in the Forsyth County jail while an investigation is ongoing.