Local News

To stay safe at ATMs, be aware of your surroundings

Becoming a victim of an ATM robbery is easier than you may think.

Posted Updated

By
Mark Boyle
, WRAL anchor/reporter
DURHAM, N.C. — Surveillance video caught a terrifying carjacking at an ATM in Research Triangle Park on Wednesday.

The Durham County Sheriff’s Office said a driver had pulled up to an ATM at the Bank of America on Park Drive when two men drove up in front of him.

The men forced the victim out of his car at gunpoint. One of the men took the victim’s car while the other returned to their car.

Becoming a victim of an ATM robbery is easier than you may think.

Phillip Sutton of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office advises putting money and debit cards away as soon as possible.

When Jordan Smith uses the ATM, she says she makes sure people are around me.

“I usually avoid it at night, or if I’m out at work I’ll have friends go with me,” she said.

Law enforcement officials say people should stay off their phones and be aware of your surroundings when at ATMs.

If you’re going to a drive-thru ATM, consider making a drive around the building, and look for cars or bushes that could block your view from the street.

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