A 25-year-old man, Henry Theis, was arrested during a traffic stop on November 1st in Fargo, North Dakota, after officers discovered $24,800 in cash inside his vehicle. The cash was found on the passenger-side floorboard, sparking further investigation.
The same vehicle had been linked to an attempted theft at a Fargo ATM earlier that evening. Theis, who spoke Spanish and identified himself as a Venezuelan national living in Dallas, Texas, told officers he was in the area for “roofing” work. He also allegedly claimed to be part of a group of hackers who had used a code to withdraw money from various ATMs. Theis further mentioned a separate group of Venezuelan men, known as “the magicians,” who were reportedly committing similar crimes in the area.
Police have noted several recent ATM thefts in Fargo and West Fargo, totaling nearly $100,000. Similar thefts have been reported across other states, with amounts ranging into the thousands of dollars. Theis’s vehicle had Texas temporary tags, and law enforcement suspects the thefts may be linked to a South American gang. A 9 mm shell casing was also found in his vehicle.
Theis faces multiple charges, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 18th. Authorities are continuing to investigate the scope of the ATM thefts, as more information emerges about the suspects involved.