VIDEO: Vending Machine Thefts

NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Over the weekend, stores in multiple counties were burglarized, but it wasn’t cash registers taking a hit

It was their vending machines.

Law enforcement are investigating,but Merchants are taking these cases to social media.

Stores like Mounce Supermarket in Vardaman posted surveillance footage of the theft on Facebook, and it has gone viral.

This rise in awareness could lead to police finding the thieves.

This isn’t the first time store owners have dealt with vending machine thefts.

“It is every few months, it seems like. It’s been happening on a routine basis,” said Mounce Supermarket owner, Jeff Mounce.

The heist itself is elaborate.

“Most times, they have keys to the machines, so it’s not a real… they don’t tear up the machines. If they got padlocks on, they cut the locks off,” said Vardaman Police Chief, Kenneth Scott.

Store owners like Mounce have improved their security in the past and now use social media to reach out to the surrounding area.

This is the first time Mounce Supermarket has taken to social media in response to these crimes, and already their surveillance video has racked up over 12,000 views.

“We’re just trying to get the word out and it could happen in several ways. Maybe the people that did it would actually see it and not do it again to anyone else. Our hope is to, somehow, somebody would would see the people, recognize them, and turn them in and report it to us,” said Mounce.

“It contacts so many people at one time. Other departments, we’re making them aware of what going on, trying to make people aware, you know, look around. If they were to see a vehicle that fits the description, to call the local authorities,” said Scott.

A little over two days have passed, and already the posts from store owners and collaboration with police departments are starting to piece together a timeline.

“You never know what little bit of information each one can input to the others. I’m fine if somebody else catches them; I just want them caught,” said Mounce.

“We are in contact with multiple departments that we didn’t even realize had their machines hit until they had seen what the sheriff put on social media and what we put, so it’s kind of given us a pattern on which direction they went,” said Scott.

Again, these videos are on Facebook.

If you recognize these people or the vehicle to call local law enforcement.