CHARLESTON, S.C. — Authorities arrested two individuals involved in a series of sophisticated ATM thefts across several jurisdictions in Charleston, according to the Charleston Police Department.
The investigation began on February 21 when an ATM owner reported multiple machines had been accessed illegally. Charleston PD detectives determined the suspects used specialized software to bypass the ATMs’ security systems and steal the cash inside.
The thefts resulted in a loss of approximately $70,000 across the tri-county area.
The investigation required complex coordination among several law enforcement agencies, including those from Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the U.S. Secret Service. This collaboration helped identify and arrest the two suspects.
“Charleston Police Detectives utilized body camera footage from a Florida law enforcement agency, captured during a minor vehicle crash earlier this year,” said a department spokesperson. “This footage helped confirm one of the suspects’ identities and linked him to the vehicle used in the ATM thefts.”
Vladyslav Shyrokyi, 29, from Florida, has been charged with three counts of safe cracking, while Nikita Ptushkin, 35, from California, faces two counts of the same charge.
Both men were arrested on March 8 in Monroe, North Carolina. They are currently being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center, with additional charges expected from other jurisdictions as the investigation continues.
