An individual or individuals in the Frederiksted area early Wednesday morning used a vehicle to reach an automated teller machine — one that was not of the drive-through sort.
Thieves reportedly drove a stolen pickup truck through the doors of the Prosperity Service Station around 2 a.m., threw the ATM into the back of the truck and sped off, according to WSTX radio. Priscilla Lynn, spokeswoman for the owner of the ATM, Caribbean Exchange Enterprises, said the device was brand new and had yet to be stocked with cash.
"Some kind of truck just drove right through the wall, and they put it in the back," Lynn said. "The machines are placed inside buildings to make them more secure. Obviously, though, that doesn’t matter to some people."
Caribbean Exchange is the only company licensed in the Virgin Islands to operate non-bank ATMs so far, although Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Andrew Rutnik said recently that his office has received an application from a second firm. Until a recent change in the law, only banks could install and operate such machines in the territory.
The firm has installed 15 ATMs on St. Croix, six on St. John and 18 on St. Thomas in recent weeks. Company president Frank Nassetta has said it will take six months to a year to recover the costs of shipping and installing the devices.
