NEW YORK, NY – Two men responsible for stealing ATMS and over $1,000,000 in cash from those machines are heading to prison.
Ramdeo Balliram and Leonardo Ortiz were charged for a years-long scheme in which they stole at least one million dollars from ATM machines across New York City.
They were both arrested this week.
According to federal documents, from at least March 2021 through about January 2023,, the two suspects are alleged to have engaged in a series of at least 23 burglaries of commercial establishments throughout the Bronx, in which they stole over $1 million from ATMs.
The Department of Justice said on each occasion, the suspects, and at least one other individual broke into Bronx small businesses — often bodegas or restaurants — in the middle of the night to steal all the cash from the ATM inside the store. While stealing all the cash from the ATMs, both men also ransacked each store, stealing all the money from the register, cigarettes, lottery tickets, alcohol, and digital video recording systems.
“As alleged, the defendants carried out a calculated scheme for years, stealing over a million dollars from ATMs in businesses throughout the Bronx,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. The relentless efforts of this Office and our law enforcement partners have finally put an end to the burglaries and thefts allegedly perpetrated by the defendants. We will continue to diligently seek justice for those affected by these crimes.”
Williams said the three men followed an armored car as it refilled ATMs throughout the Bronx on behalf of a particular bank to determine which ATMs to target.
“Once Balliram and Ortiz learned which ATMs had been filled, they then traveled to that location to break into the store and steal the cash,” Williams said. “They often used sophisticated tools to break into both the commercial establishments and the ATMs”
“For nearly two years, these defendants allegedly targeted multiple small businesses in the Bronx – burglarizing, ransacking, and stealing more than $1 million,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said. “Their brazen scheme undermined public safety throughout an entire borough, and today’s complaint is the next step toward holding them accountable for their crimes. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and all the NYPD investigators who worked together to bring charges in this case.”
The burglaries followed a simple pattern:
BALLIRAM and ORTIZ serially followed an armored car (“Bank Van-1”) as it refilled ATMs throughout the Bronx on behalf of a particular bank in order to determine which ATMs to target. Once BALLIRAM and ORTIZ learned which ATMs had been refilled, they then traveled to that location to break into the store and steal the cash. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ often used sophisticated tools to break into both the commercial establishments and the ATMs, as pictured below. On the occasion pictured below, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole more than $77,000 from the ATM:
On a few occasions, when they were unable to break into the ATM to steal the cash, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole the entire ATM. On at least one occasion, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also used a stolen vehicle to carry out the scheme.
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BALLIRAM, 44, of Queens, New York, and Ortiz, 52, of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, and one count of bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, particularly Detectives of the Bronx Grand Larceny Squad, and the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.