Suspects hold up gas station and attempt to steal ATM machine in Calera de Tango

SANTIAGO.- In a time span of just over 10 minutes, a group of at least four individuals staged a robbery at a Shell gas station and attempted to steal an automatic cash dispenser at the 7.5 kilometer mark of Camino Lonquén Norte in the municipality of Calera de Tango.

According to Miguel Méndez, who was one of the victims of the robbery, three individuals arrived at the station at 2:15 AM. The suspects allegedly pointed a gun at Méndez and his co-worker, Daniel Corral, who at the time of the incident was in the establishment's office, where the assailants tied up the two attendants with plastic tape.

"Afterwards I heard a truck screech, and then they stole our cell phones and about 30 thousand pesos", stated Méndez, who managed to untie himself and press the panic button, prompting police officers to arrive at the scene after having passed by the station just 15 minutes before the attack.

After getting out of the office where they had been enclosed, both workers saw the perpetrators unsuccessfully attempting to steal a Banco de Chile ATM machine. The suspects were only able to remove the covering of the machine from its base and left the structure approximately 2 meters from the ATM.

After arriving at the scene, police examined the ATM machine. Meanwhile, the case is to be investigated by the Western Metropolitan Public Prosecutor's office.