YUMA, Ariz.-
A high number of vending machine thefts continues to grow within the Yuma area. As theives reportedly take cash and coins while damaging the equipment.
Owner and operator Jarrad Duxbury of Ace Vending says 28 of their vending machines were broken into in the past two months and adds they’re not alone, Coke and Pepsi have also seen a high number of break-ins of their machines.
“We’ve got a few concerns. I mean one is that we that this is a rate loss that can’t be sustained by my company or Pepsi’s we’re debating about removing about 200 vending machines out of the Yuma market,” Duxbury said.
It’s a loss that Ace Vending Manager Jose Palafox fears could leave him with out a job this holiday season.
“Personally it would be a really bad situation going to unemployment looking for a new job it would be really hard,” Palafox said.
According to Ace Vending the thefts haven’t only affected them but other vending companies in Yuma, even reaching to San Luis.
“We know because of our communications with Coke and Pepsi that there suffering from similar rates of vandalism as far as we can tell theres been over 100 vender machines broken into with in that time period,” Duxbury said.
Duxbury says theres been over $8,000 of cash and coins stolen and around $117,000 in damages.
After filing multiple police reports, Palafox says police still haven’t made an arrest.
“I hope Yuma Police Department has someone working on it. Detectives or someone that are really looking for this problem to get solved because its not just us it’s all the vending machines here in Yuma,” Palafox said.
Yuma Police is aware of the incidents and Ace Vending is offering a $5,000 reward to any information that will lead to an arrest and conviction.