$175K Stolen in Virginia ATM ‘Jackpotting’ Heist, Police Seek Suspects

A Fairfax County ATM was emptied of $175,000 in a sophisticated theft scheme known as “🏧Jackpotting,” and police are now seeking public help to identify the suspects involved.

According to Fox News, 🏧Jackpotting is a cyber-physical crime in which thieves install malware or a “black box” device on an ATM to override its security system.

Once connected, the criminals can force the machine to dispense cash without a card or transaction, either remotely or through direct manipulation, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) explained.

The 💰Heist began on Oct. 3 at a drive-thru Apple Federal Credit Union ATM in Fair Oaks. Police said an unknown man used a key to gain access to the machine around 10:20 p.m., though the exact method of theft remains under investigation.

At 12:30 a.m. the following day, the same individual returned in a blue Jeep and accessed the ATM again. Surveillance footage later captured him coming back 45 minutes later, this time with a second person. The pair reportedly spent about 15 minutes at the ATM while recording their actions on their phones, authorities said.

By 2 a.m., an unmasked suspect arrived in the Jeep and began withdrawing cash from the ATM without inserting a card, holding a phone near the machine. The suspect briefly left and returned nine minutes later, continuing to extract funds until 2:44 a.m.