A 27-count federal indictment unsealed May 12, 2026, charges four men with a coordinated ATM robbery conspiracy using the “Jaws of Life”. The indictment comes as ATM crimes in the U.S. continue to see an unprecedented rise in recent years, nearly 600 percent from 2019 to 2022.
Defendants Jeff Crews, 35, David Walker, 40, Maurice Roots, 35, and Kevin Bing, 31, are all District of Columbia residents who are accused of robbing convenience store ATMS in Maryland and D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced.
The suspects have been charged with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, also known as the Hobbs Act Robbery, and multiple counts relating to stolen vehicles from January 2025 to March 2025.
D.C. Crew Used ‘Jaws of Life’ to Rip Open ATMs in Multi-State Robbery Spree
Four D.C. men are now charged in a 27-count indictment tied to a robbery crew that used the “Jaws of Life” to rip open ATMs across Maryland and D.C.
Prosecutors say the group:
Used stolen cars
Wore…— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylorTV) May 12, 2026
As per the press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the four-man crew used “Jaws of Life” tools to physically tear open ATMs and steal cash. “Jaw of Life” refers to the hydraulic rescue tool usually used to extract victims from car crash wreckage.
The defendants allegedly carried out their robberies using stolen vehicles. According to the indictment, they wore masks and struck mostly during the early-morning hours. The group met at predetermined locations before and after each robbery to transfer tools and coordinate the operation.
They would then divide the roles for the task at hand: one member acted as getaway driver, one subdued store employees, one destroyed surveillance video and network equipment at the selected store, and one operated the Jaws of Life or other tools to tear open the ATMS and take the cassettes with cash in them.
The recent D.C. indictment reflects the growing trend of ATM robberies across the U.S. According to the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA), ATM crime incidents increased by 600% from 2019 to 2022.
From 2021 to 2022, a 165 percent increase was recorded. FBI data shows ATM theft cases jumped from just 31 in 2019 to 254 in 2021, a more than 700 percent two-year rise.
Criminals use a range of methods to steal cash from ATMS. The top three ways include skimming, jackpotting, and hook-and-chain attacks. Skimming involves using hidden recording devices and cameras to rig a machine and obtain critical information, such as cardholder data and PINs. According to the ATM Security Association, this method saw a 109% increase from 2022 to 2023.
Jackpotting is another method used by cybercriminals. They use malware to gain access to an ATM and force it to dispense cash until the machine is empty.
Hook-and-chain attacks mostly occur between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Criminals attach a chain to the ATM and a large vehicle to force the ATM vault doors open. In most instances, criminals fail to access the cash inside the ATM. Even so, the damage and machine replacement alone can cost around $45,000 or more.
The FBI and U.S. Secret Service have issued warnings to financial institutions about organized ATM-theft crews using heavy equipment. Banking industry guidance now recommends several protective measures. These include reinforced ATM enclosures, anti-drill components, motion-activated surveillance, and rapid incident-reporting protocols.
