3 arrested in connection to ATM robberies

UPDATED AT 1:30 p.m.

Three men were charged Monday morning with stealing an ATM after an officer found the men dragging the cash machine behind their vehicle.

Mark Yockey, 39, of Bright Town Road in Maysville, Franklin Taylor, 35, of Belgrade-Swansboro Road in Maysville, and Joseph Marcellino, 44, of Great Neck Landing Road in Hubert, were charged by the Jacksonville Police Department with breaking and entering, injury to real property, larceny, conspiracy and resisting a police officer. Their bond was set $10,000 each.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said investigators are looking into possible connections to other ATM thefts in the area.

Authorities in surrounding counties are investigating the theft or attempted theft of six cash machines in recent weeks.

Monday’s arrests came about when police responded to a 3:43 a.m. alarm at Biotest Biopharmaceuticals at 233-c Western Boulevard. Officers found the front glass door broken and the ATM missing, said JPD spokeswoman Beth Purcell.

JPD Officer Chris Worrell saw a vehicle dragging an ATM from a chain along Western Boulevard. When the chain broke, three men inside the vehicle jumped out at the Scotchman at White Street and Western Boulevard and ran away, police said.

Police apprehended one of the three men immediately at the convenience store.

More police and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department joined in the search for the other two. The Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 Unit located the two men attempting to hide and they were taken into custody without incident, police said.

Biotest pays money for plasma donations. Donors are given a personal identification number to be used in an ATM in the business’ lobby. The machine is leased to Biotest from National Cash Register and valued at $5,000, according to arrest warrants on file at the Onslow County Courthouse.

Yockey has prior criminal convictions for motor vehicle theft, speeding to elude arrest and drug paraphernalia possession. Taylor has been convicted of larceny, possession of stolen goods and credit card fraud.  Marcellino has been convicted of clamming in a polluted area, commercial fishing without a license and indecent exposure, all according to the N.C. Department of Correction.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read his blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.

Update 11:54 a.m.

Three men were charged Monday morning with stealing an ATM after an officer found the men dragging the cash machine behind their vehicle.

Mark Yockey, 39, of Bright Town Road in Maysville, Franklin Taylor, 35, of Belgrade-Swansboro Road in Maysville, and Joseph Marcellino, 44, of Great Neck Landing Road in Hubert, were charged by the Jacksonville Police Department with breaking and entering, injury to real property, larceny, conspiracy and resisting a police officer. Their bond was set $10,000 each.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said investigators are looking into possible connections to other ATM thefts in the area.

Authorities in surrounding counties are investigating the theft or attempted theft of six cash machines in recent weeks.

Monday’s arrests came about when police responded to a 3:43 a.m. alarm at Bio-Tech Pharmaceuticals at 233-c Western Boulevard. Officers found the front glass door broken and the ATM missing, said JPD spokeswoman Beth Purcell.

JPD Officer Chris Worrell saw a vehicle dragging an ATM from a chain along Western Boulevard. When the chain broke, three men inside the vehicle jumped out at the Scotchman at White Street and Western Boulevard and ran away, police said.

Police apprehended one of the three men immediately at the convenience store.

More police and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department joined in the search for the other two. The Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 Unit located the two men attempting to hide and they were taken into custody without incident, police said.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read his blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.

The Jacksonville Police Department has made arrests related to a string of ATM robberies.

JPD arrested three people early this morning in connection to the thefts. More information will be available later today.