BURIEN, Wash. — An employee at a Burien gas station said burglary suspects tried to steal an ATM machine at the store but left without taking anything after realizing it was a Bitcoin machine.
A gas station along the 12600 block of Ambaum Boulevard SW in Burien was targeted in a burglary just after 2 a.m. The store owner rushed to the store after he was alerted by a neighbor. He arrived to find the burglary in progress and was shot at by the suspects while he was trying to get the vehicle's license plate information. He was uninjured.
The suspects were caught on camera tying a rope from their silver SUV to a front door and pulling it open. Surveillance video showed the suspects latching rope to a Bitcoin machine, but they were not able to pull out the machine. The store's front window was damaged because it was backed into by the car.
The store owner believes the suspects thought it was an ATM machine, but they left with nothing after realizing it was a Bitcoin machine.
“I think they thought it was a cash station, ATM," the store owner told KING 5. "They didn't steal nothing. They didn't steal no cigarettes, money, no drinks. From this side, it looks like a cash machine. They thought it was a cash machine, but it was Bitcoin. Stupid.”
WATCH: Gas station clerk discusses botched burglary
This is the second time in the last week this store has been targeted in a burglary. The store owner believes these suspects are the same ones from a burglary attempt on Saturday.
The Burien store was also broken into one year ago, according to the store owner. He said insurance did not cover all of the damage in the attempt and the store still has some leaks inside when it rains following the burglary.
Investigators have not found the suspects connected to the pair of burglaries.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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