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Four Venezuelan gang members arrested in connection with ATM burglaries

3 hours 52 minutes 13 seconds ago Thursday, September 18 2025 Sep 18, 2025 September 18, 2025 6:31 PM September 18, 2025 in News
Source: WBRZ
From left to right: Alejandro, Veloz, Hernandez-Monges, Pinango-Paez

MORGAN CITY - Four Venezuelan gang members accused of tampering with and robbing multiple ATMs were arrested in Louisiana, authorities said. 

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office received a tip about an ATM burglary in Amelia on September 10, followed by similar incidents in Morgan City and Berwick. 

Law enforcement said the machines had been hit by a "jackpotting" scheme, where criminals hack ATMs and drain the cash. 

Two days after the first ATM was hit, a Morgan City Police officer stopped a suspect vehicle and found a "large amount of cash and burglary tools," the department said. 

Police said that seizure led law enforcement to Lafayette, where they found more stolen cash and arrested 25-year-old Aiverson Pinango-Paez and 31-year-old Abraham Hernandez-Monges. Morgan City PD said the two were in "Tren de Aragua," a Venezuelan gang. Their listed addresses are in Chicago. 

Police later said they arrested Jose Alejandro, 22, and Yanier Yeloz, 25. 

Pinanjo-Paez was booked for theft, attempted burglary, and misrepresentation during booking alongside a St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office warrant for two counts of simple burglary and two counts of theft or criminal access to an ATM. The other three were booked for principal to theft or criminal access of an ATM machine and principal to simple burglary and a SMPSO warrant for principal to simple burglary and principal to theft or criminal access to an ATM machine.

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