The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a break-in of a gas station convenience store on Tuesday and aims to identify a trio of suspects who stole an ATM.

A release from the office said deputies responded with Chapel Hill Police officers to a Refuel Market location on U.S. 15-501 near the Chatham County line Tuesday morning. During their initial investigation, they found a group of thieves broke into the glass doors, wrapped a chain around the cash machine, and pulled it out of the building with a vehicle.

The sheriff’s office said security footage showed the first suspect at 1:53 a.m., who broke through the glass doors “after several minutes of effort.” Fifteen minutes later, the footage showed a “white Chevy Suburban or Tahoe” pulling up to the door and being used to drag the machine out, which can be seen in the footage shared by the office. Based on the broken glass and debris at the gas station, investigators say they believe the vehicle traveled northbound on Smith Level Road toward Carrboro.

The Refuel Market at 1950 U.S. Highway 15-501 in Orange County. (Photo via Google Maps.)

The trio of suspects wore masks, gloves and jackets that hid “identifying characteristics,” said the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. No other information or descriptors were shared in Tuesday’s message.

The sheriff’s office added that investigators believe the Refuel Market break-in “may be connected to a series of similar thefts” in North Carolina. Any community members who may have information on the incident from early Tuesday morning are encouraged to call Investigator Pat Gilchrist at 919-245-2928.

 

Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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