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Jun 24, 2008 3:53 pm US/Central
Burglars Steal ATM From NorthPark Center
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
NorthPark Center has become the scene of yet another violent crime. This time, police say four men ripped an ATM out of the lobby of the Nordstrom store.
The burglary is the third high-profile crime at NorthPark Center in the past five weeks.
The burglary happened in the early morning hours and police later found the burned getaway vehicle with the ATM inside. As with the two other violent NorthPark crimes - the suspects haven't been caught.
Tuesday it was business as usual at the mall. "I feel safe here. I never felt threatened, in danger or anything like that," said shopper Margaret Lolley.
Customers were seemingly unaware that at 3:45 Tuesday morning the brazen ATM theft has occurred at a mall that's perceived as one of the safest of shopping centers in the metroplex.
Learning about the crime gave shoppers something to think about. "It [NorthPark Center] has a perception of safety but when you hear about things happening at NorthPark it's like maybe not so much," Lisa Hall said.
On June 2 there was an armed robbery at NorthPark Center. That time five men stole several Rolex watches valued at some $250,000. The suspects haven't been caught.
On May 16, while waiting to pick up her daughter from the movies, Mary Boyd was shot in the face during an attempted carjacking. A composite sketch of the shooter was released but the man has not been caught.
Now police are also dealing with the ATM crime. "They were going after the ATM machine which we've had a rash of [thefts] all over the metroplex," said Dallas police Cpl. Gerardo Monreal.
Other than money - police don't see a tie between the three violent crimes. Monreal says the offenses were crimes of opportunity and just 'happened to be at NorthPark'.
The ATM rip-off is considered a business burglary. It's the third for NorthPark this year. In 2007 there were two business burglaries at the mall.
Crimes against persons are down 40-percent at the shopping center. NorthPark has had three so far this year - last year at this time, they had five.
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