An alleged ATM machine robbery in Jefferson leads to multiple arrests.

According to court documents, 39-year-old Jorge Palacios of California and 52-year-old Richard Harris of Marshalltown were arrested for allegedly stealing an ATM machine from Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Jefferson. Court documents show Palacios, Harris and a third unidentified suspect entered the casino through the Cobblestone entrance at 5:30am on Friday, January 28th.

The suspects used a hand cart and took the ATM through a fire exit and loaded it into a 2002 Chevrolet 1500 truck that was reported stolen from Boone County. The stolen vehicle was later found abandoned in the 1800 block of Redwood Avenue when it ran out of gas. Court documents show Harris was wearing the same clothes the night before when he won a jackpot and casino security cameras showed him walking toward the ATM prior to it being stolen and shaking it.

On January 29th, Palacios, Harris and another suspect, 42-year-old Steven Curvin, were found driving a 1990 GMC truck, which was stopped on Highway 169 in Boone County. Authorities interviewed Curvin at the scene and he admitted to Palacios and Harris bringing the stolen ATM machine to his shop in Story City. When authorities went to Curvin’s business, they found the ATM machine destroyed, along with another ATM machine that was stolen from Mason City. 

The Wild Rose ATM machine was valued at $35,000 and there was a total of $14,204 in cash and change, which was found to be on Palacios and Harris during the traffic stop on January 29th. Palacios and Harris were arrested and charged with Class C Felonies for first degree theft and first degree criminal mischief and a Class D Felony for second degree theft. They were booked and remain in the Greene County Jail under a $60,000 cash or surety bond. Curvin was also arrested and charged for accessory after the fact in Story County. 

The Greene and Boone County Sheriff’s Offices, along with Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assisted in the investigation. Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.