Prosecutors accusing a man of being part of a prolific ATM theft crew say he and his teammates actively stole cash machines even after Chicago cops investigating the crimes found him carrying heavy chains in his SUV that they suspected were used to yank ATMs from their foundations.
Radonte Eatman, 25, was also a concealed carry holder who carried multiple firearms unholstered on his person and lying about his vehicle, according to separate allegations.
His legal problems began on September 27 when officers allegedly saw the end of a firearm exposed near his armpit as he stood with a group of people in the 800 block of East 63rd Street.
Eatman told the cops he had a CCL, and the license was in his nearby vehicle. Officers allegedly found two extended ammunition magazines in the SUV’s center console while they were looking for his licenses.
He was cited for a misdemeanor CCL violation and went home with instructions to show up for court.
Barely two weeks later, cops in Back of the Yards spotted a stolen car that a crew had been using to rip ATMs out of businesses during overnight hours. Prosecutors said Eatman was driving the vehicle with a loaded handgun near the front gear shifter and a machine gun on the passenger seat.
The officers also found two metal chains on the front floorboard, a third chain on the back seat, and a fourth chain in the trunk that could be used to extract ATMs, according to a CPD report.
Prosecutors charged him with possessing a stolen motor vehicle, possessing a machine gun, aggravated fleeing, and possessing burglary tools.
Eatman is now accused of participating in ATM thefts while on pretrial release for both cases.
On Christmas Day, CPD released a community alert about the thieves after two businesses were struck the night before. The alert linked the crew to 18 ATM thefts dating back to September 8. Police released video of the thieves in January, too, saying the crew had been using chains and an SUV to rip the doors off businesses and pull ATMs from their mounts.
Eatman, according to the allegations, was seen in that video wearing red boxer shorts and striped track pants.
In recently filed charges, prosecutors said he and unidentified teammates used a Jeep and chains to pull the door from Big Sam’s Food Mart, 133 East 75th Street, around 4:43 a.m. on Christmas Eve. According to the allegations, the store’s ATM drawer contained $13,600 in cash, and the business suffered $5,000 in damages.
Officials said that less than an hour later, Eatman’s crew did the same thing at Khalil’s Food and Liquor, 146 West 103rd Street. While the ATM had no money, damage to the store was estimated at $7,000.
Eatman is charged with two counts of burglary for those crimes. He is now being jailed for violating pretrial release in the machine gun case.
