AUGUSTA — Three men were arrested and charged after police say they burglarized and damaged ATMs at two Augusta credit unions late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
According to the Augusta Police Department, who issued a press statement after The Robinson Report made inquiries, officers first responded at about 11 p.m. March 10 to a burglary alarm at Trademark Federal Credit Union on Edison Drive. Shortly after midnight, police were called to a second burglary alarm at Connected Credit Union on Civic Center Drive.
When officers arrived at the Civic Center Drive location, they encountered a dark-colored Toyota sedan leaving the area at a high rate of speed, police said. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested its three occupants.
Police identified the suspects as Yorman Uzcategui, Rafael Mari-Pina and Yorman Para. All three were charged with burglary and criminal mischief in connection with the incidents.
Authorities said evidence related to the crimes was seized during the investigation. The press release did not state whether any money was taken from the ATMs.
Each suspect was held at the Kennebec County Jail on $20,000 cash bail, according to police.
The department said all three were later picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Although this case ended with the men — all Venezuelan nationals, per a source familiar with the investigation — in the hands of federal immigration authorities, that kind of cooperation would be prevented under a Democratic proposal to restrict working with feds backed by Gov. Janet Mills (D).
If the alleged ATM banditos had been able to post bail under the new sanctuary state rules Gov. Mills has approved, they could have been gone with the wind.
