AUBURN – Some criminal suspects are so inept, they provide clear, sharp mug shots even before they get arrested.
In Auburn, police say they have surveillance photos of a pair of men accused of swiping cash from a half-dozen vending machines in a bold, afternoon heist at a downtown hotel.
Police said the pair swept through the Hilton Garden Inn on Tuesday, moving from floor to floor and stealing money from vending machines.
The men were smart enough to outwit complicated locks, investigators said. They were a little less skillful when it came to ducking out of view of video cameras mounted throughout the hotel.
“The video is beautiful,” said Auburn police Officer Dan Davies said. “We’re hoping members of the public can help us identify them.”
That shouldn’t be a problem. In several still images captured from the video, one suspect is seen staring up toward a camera. Moments later, the second suspect comes up behind the first and does the same thing. The result is clear images of both their faces. The men did everything but say “cheese” into the cameras.
The thefts were reported shortly after 1 p.m. Investigators believe the suspects used a set of keys to open and empty the vending machines at the Hilton.
“They pretty much hit every vending machine in the place,” Davies said.
It was unclear how much money was taken in the heist. Neither of the suspects appeared to have a sweet tooth: Police said no candy or personal items were taken from the machines, which are available for hotel occupants on each floor.
Davies said he had not heard about vending machines at any other businesses being targeted.
At the Hilton, it was believed the suspects left the hotel after using the key – which is specially designed for vending machines – to get access to coins and paper money.
The Hilton has surveillance cameras through the hotel to safeguard guests, Davies said. A hotel manager made footage available to the officer after the theft was reported.
By Tuesday night, the suspects remained at large. Meanwhile, police were circulating photos of the men, in hopes that someone will recognize them.
People with information about the suspects are being asked to call Auburn police at 784-7332.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.