Amarillo Crime Stoppers Seeks Suspect in Wall-Tunneling Toot 'N Totum Burglary

AMARILLO, TX – The Amarillo Police Department and Amarillo Crime Stoppers are requesting the public's assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a highly unusual commercial burglary. The incident, featured as the Crime of the Week, occurred in the early morning hours at a local Toot 'N Totum food store, where the suspect attempted to breach an automated teller machine (ATM) after breaking through the building's structure.

Break-In via Exterior Wall at SW 34th Avenue

On May 6, 2026, at approximately 5:11 a.m., Amarillo police officers responded to a commercial burglar alarm at the Toot 'N Totum located at 4224 SW 34th Avenue. Upon arrival, officers and investigators discovered that a suspect had forced entry into the convenience store using an unconventional and destructive method: tunneling or breaking directly through an exterior wall of the building.

Once inside the store, the intruder targeted the ATM. However, despite their efforts to pry or break open the cash vault, the suspect was unsuccessful. The individual ultimately fled the scene empty-handed before officers arrived, leaving behind significant structural damage to the convenience store.

Amarillo Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week

Investigators are currently reviewing security footage from the store and surrounding commercial properties in the SW 34th Avenue corridor. Amarillo Crime Stoppers has designated this burglary as the "Crime of the Week" to encourage anyone with information to come forward.

Tipsters who provide information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. All tips are completely anonymous.

If you have any information regarding this burglary, saw suspicious activity or vehicles near the 4000 block of SW 34th Avenue on the morning of May 6 around 5:00 a.m., please contact Amarillo Crime Stoppers at 806-374-4400 or submit a tip online at amapolice.org. Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips mobile application.

Convenience Store and ATM Security Best Practices

Tunneling through building walls to access ATMs represents an extreme and rare form of burglary, but it highlights the lengths to which criminals will go. To protect retail establishments and ATMs, security experts advise the following measures:

• Seismic and Vibration Sensors: Install specialized seismic and vibration detectors on exterior walls and directly on ATM enclosures. These sensors trigger alarms immediately when drilling, chiseling, or heavy impact is detected.
• Reinforced Building Perimeter: Use reinforced concrete or steel mesh lining on walls adjacent to high-value assets like safes and ATMs.
• 24/7 High-Definition Surveillance: Ensure both the interior and exterior perimeters are covered by high-resolution cameras with night-vision capabilities. Storing footage securely on the cloud prevents physical theft of local recording devices.
• Visible Security Signage: Clearly advertise the presence of advanced alarm systems, GPS-tracked safes, and real-time monitoring to deter potential burglars.
• GPS Tracking for ATMs: Equip teller machines with silent GPS tracking devices that alert law enforcement if the unit is moved or heavily tampered with.

Sources: MSN / KFDA NewsChannel 10