San Diego and National City police are working together to identify suspects in several ATM recent burglaries.
An empty ATM machine was found torn apart in a canyon along Highland Avenue in City Heights around 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Officials said the recovered machine, seen in an image below, may be the same one stolen from a National City liquor store.
Burglars broke through a gate securing Wilsons Market and Liquor on East 8th Street around 3 a.m.
Using a chain, the thieves wrapped a metal chain around an ATM and dragged it out of the store.
No arrests were made.
The owners told NBC 7 News instant lottery scratchers, cash and checks were stolen.
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The cash machine found in City Heights was missing the electronics portion.
Officials said the ATM stolen from National City was taken without the electrical components.
Investigators in National City are working with San Diego police to see if the crime is connected to two similar incidents.
Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, someone tied a chain around an ATM outside a Valero gas station on Kearny Villa Road and used a white car to drag it across the parking lot.
The burglars got inside the ATM and took off with an unknown amount of cash.
“The kiosk itself was not inside the building so there was no alarm that was activated,” said Lt. Paul Phillips with San Diego police.
A witness walking by saw the aftermath of the burglary and called 911. Using a helicopter, officers searched the area for suspects. No arrests were made.
The ATM and vehicle will be searched for evidence. Investigators also have security camera video that may help identify the suspects.
Officers said there is a good chance the white car used in the crime was a stolen vehicle.
Phillips said there was a similar theft using a stolen vehicle in another area of San Diego just before 4 a.m. Monday.
A Mercedes S250 drove into an ATM at 10th Avenue and University. The suspect did not get away with any cash. Investigators said the plates on the vehicle came back as stolen. No arrests were made in this incident, officials said.
