Henry Theis (Cass Co. Jail)
WEST FARGO (KFGO) – West Fargo Police arrested a man court records say is part of a group of Venezuelans that targeted ATMs in the Fargo area last weekend.
According to police reports, early Saturday morning, an officer stopped Henry Theis, 25, in a car that was parked at an ATM outside a Gate City Bank and drove off without any lights on. Theis did not have a driver’s license and when the officer asked what he was doing at the bank, he began speaking in Spanish.
During the stop, the officer heard a voice coming from Theis’s phone. Theis spoke Spanish into the phone and hung up.
The officer ran the vehicle’s VIN number and learned it was from Texas and may have been involved in an attempted theft at a different ATM earlier that night in Fargo. Fargo Police say in that case, someone drove up to an ATM, added a device to it, and left the door open.
The officer searched Theis’s car and found a latex glove, a facemask, a computer keyboard, cables, and a bag with nearly $25,000 in new $20 bills inside.
Court records say the officer asked Theis for an ID again, which he said he didn’t have. The officer asked Theis if he was a U.S. citizen and he said no. Theis said he is from Venezuela.
Through the investigation, officers got a picture of a man wearing a mask and the same clothes as Theis and showed it to him. Through an interpreter, Theis said that was not him. He said he was working with others who were all dressed the exact same.
Theis went on to admit he is part of a group of hackers who are involved in “jackpotting” ATMs. He described an elaborate scheme involving other men, another car, software, and a key that allows the men to hack ATMs using a virus to retrieve the cash.
When asked what the others are doing, Theis said, “safely escaping” to Dallas where they live.
Theis gave the officers names of others involved. He said their names are Jefferson, Alejandro, Rayber, and a man with the first initial “H.” He said “H” is the leader of the group and takes orders from someone higher up.
Theis said the group planned to jackpot other ATMs in the area, but only got the one.
Later that morning, police put out information to other law enforcement which led to a traffic stop on I-29 in Codington County in South Dakota. Deputies there said they stopped a vehicle matching the description of one used in West Fargo and spoke with the two men in the car. After running names and plates, the deputies arrested the men.
Jefferson Rodriguez-Quintero and Ryber Sanchez were booked into the Codington County Jail.
Court records say, in recent weeks, banks in Fargo and West Fargo have been victims of theft totaling nearly $100,000.
Theis told officers there is another group he knows of that does jackpotting. He said they are called the “magicians” who are also all from venezuela. He said he doesn’t know any members of that group, but said the others involved in his group do.
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