Attempted ATM break-in ends in chase, arrest behind Umbrella

An Ohio man faces multiple felony charges after police say he tried to break into an ATM near Acton Center, led police on a foot chase, and tried to escape from handcuffs.

Acton police went to Cambridge Savings Bank at 202 Sudbury Road just before 3 a.m. on June 21 after a caller reported two people in dark clothing and ski masks trying to break into the ATM. 

According to police logs, the caller found it suspicious that the two were wearing masks on a warm night.

The caller said one person appeared to be acting as a lookout while the other worked on the machine.

Officer Michael Crowe spotted a vehicle parked in the Umbrella Arts Center lot with its headlights on. He then saw a masked man, later identified as Alexander Hernandez Torrealba, 23, of Fairfield, Ohio, run from the vehicle and across the parking lot with a black backpack.

Crowe pursued Hernandez, who fell while running. The officer drew his gun and ordered him to stop, but Hernandez refused repeated commands, attempted to flee again, and fought the officer trying to handcuff him, police said. Officers James Miller and Brianna Germano arrived and assisted with the arrest. 

Once in the police cruiser on his way to the station, Hernandez slipped his cuffs to the front of his body and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Police checked the surrounding area but did not find a second person. 

Investigators said they recovered numerous items from Hernandez and a Honda in the Umbrella lot, including multiple cellphones, latex gloves, a ski mask, forged checks, and what appeared to be burglary tools, including screwdrivers and a drill.

The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council surveyed the area with a drone. 

Bank surveillance video showed two people trying to break into the ATM before attaching a skimming device, a tool used to steal data from debit and credit cards, according to the police report.

Further investigation found that the ATM had been compromised by a Raspberry Pi device used to hack the machine. The device, its battery, and the ATM’s hard drive were removed as evidence. 

Police also found torn pieces of black latex inside the ATM that investigators said matched a glove recovered near Hernandez’s arrest.

Police charged Hernandez with breaking into a repository, possession of a burglarious instrument, resisting arrest, possession of a skimming device, and forgery of a check. 

His bail was set at $250,000, according to police reports. He was arraigned on June 22 and is due back in court on July 20. 

Capt. Brian Goldman said Acton police are working with other departments as the investigation continues in case “there are other similar acts” that can be tied to Hernandez. 

Goldman told The Acton Bridge that crime “can happen anywhere” and “the officers that night did an outstanding job and handled the situation.”

Dakota Antelman contributed reporting.