Video shows WA ATM theft suspect try to escape 'like a jackrabbit'
Video shows WA ATM theft suspect try to escape 'like a jackrabbit'
Scott Rhodes, 30, was charged with kidnapping, assault and rape on Wednesday. He's also accused of leading a $1 million ATM theft ring.
KING COUNTY, Wash. - A suspect accused of violent crimes and with leading a ring of thieves who stole more than $1 million cash from ATMs using the ‘jaws of life’ stolen from a firetruck pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.
King County prosecutors have charged 30-year-old Scott Rhodes with kidnapping, assault and rape.
The search for him came to a dramatic end on Feb. 19 when King County Sheriff’s detectives from the Gun Violence Reduction Unit spotted him in Edgewood.
"He’s a wily individual, so he didn’t want to be caught," said Capt. Stan Seo, who supervises the unit.
As the King County Sheriff’s TAC 30 SWAT team moved in, Rhodes reacted quickly as deputies fired flash bangs to try and distract him.
"He was kind of backed in, ready to go, and then you see him like a jackrabbit literally popping out of the sunroof and taking off, leading our deputies on a chase," Capt. Seo recounted.
However, he didn’t get far. Rhodes was stopped in his tracks by a taser and arrested with a bag full of cocaine.
The takedown was the result of a coordinated effort by the Gun Violence Reduction Unit, in collaboration with multiple agencies, including the FBI, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Puyallup PD, Bonney Lake PD, Sumner PD, Kent PD, Renton PD and police in Euguene, Oregon.
Suspect arrested in $1M Seattle burglary ring, ‘jaws of life’ used in ATM, safe thefts
Seattle police say the four-person group used fire department "jaws of life" tools to steal from large safes and ATM machines in the Seattle area.
The unit was created in 2023 by King County Executive Dow Constantine in response to ongoing public safety threats from gun violence. In the last quarter of 2024 alone, their investigations led to felony charges filed on six suspects, with three charged for robbery and others for illegal firearms and possession of a machine gun. Three of the handguns recovered were ghost guns, two were altered to be fully automatic and one had a bump stock, turning it into an automatic weapon.
Detectives say Rhodes had an arsenal of firearms, including a rifle with a bump stock.
"He had weapons that were suppressed or silenced. He had rifles with armor piercing ammunition. He had this type of body armor that you see in the movies where they have a face mask but it's a ballistic face mask. Kind of scary to be honest with you," Capt. Seo said.
Detectives had been searching for Rhodes after he was charged with the torture and rape of a man at gunpoint.
"His tendency for violence against even the people associated with him makes him extremely dangerous," Capt. Seo said.
As detectives investigated the rape accusation, they discovered that Rhodes was also the alleged ringleader of a group of thieves using excavators and the jaws of life to steal ATMs dating back to last August.
"They were burglarizing not only 7-Elevens but also actual banks," Capt. Seo said.
Surveillance footage from Fairwood shows Rhodes using a stolen truck and excavator.
"He literally dug up one of the standalone ATMs from a bank and was in the process of stealing it when our deputy showed up," Capt. Seo described.
RAW: Video shows WA ATM theft with excavator
Surveillance footage from Fairwood shows a suspect, allegedly 30-year-old Scott Rhodes, using a stolen truck and excavator to steal an ATM.
After demolishing the building, he secured the ATM on the back of a trailer.
"There was a pursuit that was initiated. The ATM was literally dragging on the back of the truck and trailer," Capt. Seo explained.
Deputies had to call off the chase for public safety, but later that same morning, Rhodes struck again.
"He is so prolific that he went down to Pierce County. Another officer there on-viewed him doing the exact same thing with the excavator, stealing an ATM. He was going the wrong way on freeways, a huge danger to the public," Capt. Seo stated.
Derek Vanbeek witnessed the chaos firsthand.
"It was a little more wild with someone going head-on. I haven’t seen that. I see people jumping off the lanes and crossing the median, but never coming at me," he recalled.
Officers later found the stolen excavator abandoned in the middle of the road.
"The trailer was obliterated. The excavator was standing up, looking like they could still use it," a responding officer reported.
The stolen truck Rhodes was accused of driving was later found torched.
‘Jaws of Life’ suspect faces other charges
He's accused of using the jaws of life to crack open ATMs and steal roughly $1 million in cash, but suspect Scott Rhodes appeared in court facing charges of kidnapping, assault and rape.
With Rhodes now in custody, detectives are shifting their focus to the other suspects.
"The investigation is not over. There is still a larger crew out there using jaws of life, stolen equipment, and excavators to steal these ATMs," Capt. Seo warned.
However, with Rhodes behind bars, Capt. Seo believes the most dangerous member of the crew is now off the streets.
"I hope the message is getting out there. Our prosecutors, court systems, and judges are starting to understand why we need to incarcerate some people because of the danger they pose to the public," he concluded.
The Source: Information in this story is from the King County Sheriff's Office, King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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