Lang
3/7/25
Two suspects are accused of using a method called “jackpotting” to steal over $13,000 from Iowa City convenience store ATM’s.
50-year-old Cristian Chira was booked into the Johnson County Jail just before 6:15 Thursday night. Iowa City Police say Chira and another person walked into L&M Mighty Shop on East Burlington Street just before 11:15 Thursday morning and began using the two ATM’s at different times. They allegedly used a special card that contained a code that overrode the ATMs’ functions and forced them to dispense all of their cash at once. The code on the card also alters the ATM ledger, showing the transactions as being legal and approved by a customer’s financial institution. The combined amount of stolen cash is listed at $13,080.
Chira and the other suspect were captured by police when they arrived at another store location that uses the same company’s ATM.
Chira, whose address is listed simply as “Romana” in arrest records, is charged with 1st Degree Fraudulent Practice and 1st Degree Theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The other person has not yet been identified in police records.