Three Suspects Steal Gambling Machine from Sunoco Store in Philadelphia

Early Sunday morning, three masked men robbed a Sunoco gas station in Northeast Philadelphia and stole a gambling machine. Police are currently searching for the suspects.

Thieves Steal Gambling Machine from a Sunoco Gas Station

The incident occurred around 4 am at a Sunoco station on the 7900 block of Bustleton Avenue in Rhawnhurst. Investigators state that three masked individuals entered the store, dismantled the gambling machine, and loaded it into a silver hatchback before fleeing toward Roosevelt Boulevard. 

Police have not yet released detailed descriptions of the suspects, and the investigation is ongoing. However, anyone with information is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the heist.

Is There a String of Such Cases in Philadelphia?

While the brazen act certainly got the investigators scratching their heads, it’s not the first such case in the region. In fact, just a few days earlier, another gaming machine was stolen in Philadelphia in a remarkably similar case.

The machine was once again situated in a Sunoco gas station, and the masked robbers, this time two of them, stole it in the middle of the night. According to police, the stolen machine contained approximately $8,000 at the time it was taken. The suspects remain at large, and investigators continue to seek assistance from the public in identifying those responsible.

So far, authorities have not officially connected the two cases. However, considering the similarities between the two incidents, one can start thinking this is a calculated series of thefts by an organized group.

In both incidents, the suspects targeted gambling machines located at different Sunoco stations. Both thefts were conducted in the middle of the night at about the same time by a small crew of people who worked fast and without much noise. Of course, there are two major differences – in the most recent case, there were three suspects who used a silver hatchback as their getaway vehicle. Meanwhile, the previous case saw only two suspects flee on a truck.

Of course, any concrete connection between the two incidents remains only speculative at the moment.For a long time, such gaming machines have been a point of contention for regulation in the state.  Two years ago, Philadelphia introduced new regulations on these machines in an effort to curb criminal activity associated with them at local businesses. The new rules limit the number of machines allowed at certain establishments, such as liquor-licensed venues with adequate seating, and all payouts must be issued electronically rather than in cash.