ATM Stolen in Uptown Chicago Gas Station Crash-and-Grab Burglary

CHICAGO — A gas station in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood was the target of a destructive crash-and-grab burglary early Monday morning, April 6, 2026. The incident resulted in the theft of an indoor ATM and left the convenience store section of the station with severe structural damage.

According to Chicago police, the suspects drove a vehicle in reverse through the front glass doors of the gas station shop. The sheer force of the impact dislodged the cash machine from its floor anchors. Several masked individuals quickly loaded the ATM into a waiting vehicle and sped away, abandoning the primary ramming car, which was later determined to be stolen.

The gas station's clerk, who was on duty but stationed behind bulletproof security glass, was uninjured but shaken by the violence of the crash. Store managers reported that the building's facade is heavily compromised, and repairs are expected to take weeks. The loss of the ATM and the disruption to daily sales represent a significant financial hit to the franchise owners.

Uptown residents and local business groups have voiced growing concern over the brazenness of these smash-and-grab raids, which occur even at well-lit, open locations. Police are searching for clues from nearby traffic cameras and asking witnesses to come forward with any descriptions of the suspects or the getaway vehicle.