Christmas Eve ATM theft: Three suspects arrested in White Settlement
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas - Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with a brazen Christmas Eve ATM theft that garnered millions of views on social media, police announced Saturday.
ATM drug through store in failed Christmas Eve robbery
On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, at 3:44 a.m., the White Settlement Police Department responded to an initial call that someone had broken a window at a local convenience store in the 2000 block of S. Cherry Lane. As officers were responding, additional information was received that it appeared someone was trying to steal an ATM that was located in the rear of the store.
The arrests follow a months-long multi-agency investigation triggered by a viral surveillance video showing an SUV tearing an ATM through the front of a convenience store. All three suspects remained in custody at the Tarrant County Jail as of March 28.
ATM theft surveillance video
Police identified the suspects as 28-year-old Jay Gerard Jones Jr., 26-year-old Aaron Tre Vuentae Rabon Alex, and 24-year-old Bronya Keshawn Freeman. All three are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony.
The backstory:
The incident began at 3:44 a.m. on Dec. 24, 2025, at a convenience store in the 2000 block of South Cherry Lane. Surveillance footage showed two men in a stolen black SUV smash the store’s front doors. One suspect entered the business and attached a metal cable to the ATM, signaling the driver to pull the machine out.
ATM dragged through storefront in failed Christmas Eve robbery
Police are asking for the public’s help to identify two men who tried to steal an ATM on Christmas Eve by dragging it from a store with a metal cable.
The suspects successfully dragged the ATM from the building on their second attempt, leaving a trail of debris and shattered glass. However, as they fled westbound on the Interstate 30 service road, the ATM became dislodged and was later recovered by officers in a nearby culvert.
The break in the case came within 24 hours of the initial crime. Following widespread news coverage, a credible tip was submitted through Tarrant County Crime Stoppers identifying one of the primary suspects.
What they're saying:
"Outstanding work on connecting the dots quickly by our investigative team," said White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook. "I knew from the onset that this would be an extensive case investigation requiring collaboration and partnerships to bring those responsible to justice."
The White Settlement Police Department worked alongside the Texas Rangers, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Fort Worth, Dallas, Bedford, Euless, and Grapevine to link the Christmas Eve theft to similar offenses across North Texas.
According to investigators, Jones Jr. was arrested on March 8, while Alex and Freeman were taken into custody on March 24.
Police say the suspects played specific roles: one entered the store to hook the chain, another drove the stolen SUV, and a third operated a separate getaway car that had stolen license plates.
The department confirmed that all cash inside the recovered ATM was secured. Other North Texas agencies have filed additional criminal charges against the men for offenses in their respective jurisdictions.
Bond for Alex has been set at $250,000, while Freeman’s bond is $25,000 and Jones Jr.’s is $10,000.
The Source: Information in this article is from the White Settlement Police Department.