Thieves destroy empty ATM, lose truck

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

After using a cutting torch to chop through bolts connecting an ATM machine to a wall at the Santa Barbara County Bowl, two men in search of some quick cash attached a chain to the machine, pulled it free with their pickup truck and cut the machine open only to find it was empty.
The failed smash-and-grab operation took place at 12:30 p.m.

Not only did the men fail to get cash, they fled the scene after being spooked by a Bowl security guard, abandoning their Chevy truck, the cutting torch and an assortment of other tools, police officials said.
“They got the short end of the deal,” said Lt. Paul McCaffrey, a Santa Barbara police spokesman, who noted the ATM is worth far less than the truck and the tools.
McCaffrey said it didn’t take police long to identify one of the would-be thieves as 37-year-old Jeffrey Alan Mira, to whom the truck was registered.
Prior to the attempted theft, McCaffrey said police had contacted Mira in the same truck.
“We definitely had some pretty bright arrows pointing in Mira’s direction,” he said.
McCaffrey said Bowl officials empty the ATM after every show. He said the men likely decided to target the ATM in broad daylight so the light from the cutting torch wouldn’t be noticed.
McCaffrey said a warrant has been issued for Mira’s arrest and bail has already been set for $100,000.
If Mira is found, McCaffrey said he will be charged with burglary with a special enhancement for using a cutting torch.
“This is a more serious brand of burglary,” McCaffrey said. “It’s not quite the same as walking into a house and walking out with a Game Boy.”
He said Mira is from the Santa Ynez Valley and anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts is urged to contact a watch commander at 897-2355.
McCaffrey said the second suspect has not been identified.