KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police are busy trying to crack several recent bizarre crimes at three car washes in Kansas City, Kansas and in Grandview, Missouri in recent weeks.
“I came in around 9:30 in the morning on February 11th and saw the coin machine all burnt and damaged and knew something wasn’t right, ” said David Kemper, a maintenance employee at Hiland Crest Car Wash near Gibbs Road and South 50th Street in KCK.
Kemper said one of their surveillance cameras was rolling and caught a man and a woman pull up to their car wash bay in a silver or light gray car. Within minutes, Kemper said the woman, who was driving, acted as a lookout while the man, sitting in the back seat, used a cutting torch to slice a metal brass lock during an attempt to break open a coin machine.
“The machine was really burned and I just couldn’t believe it. We try to provide a service to people and this happens to us. Yes, we are upset because it’s just crazy,” added Kemper.
The entire, eight-minute crime caught on video.
“I’m just glad that they didn’t get any money whatsoever,” Kemper told FOX 4’s Robert Townsend during an interview at the business Wednesday.
Around the same time there were similar crimes at the “Glass House Car Wash” just down the road on Merriam Lane and at a smaller KCK car wash near 55th and Leavenworth Road.
Detective are reviewing the video taken at Hiland Crest and at Big Billie’s Car Wash in Grandview to see if the man and woman caught on camera at both businesses is the same pair responsible for all four crimes.
“I just think that’s ridiculous to be going around with cutting torches and ripping up these businesses coin machines, my God how stupid and desperate,” one customer at Hiland Crest said.
“I just hope someone comes forward with information so police can get them off the streets. They caused $2,500 in damages at our business,” said Kemper.
Anyone who knows anything about the car wash crimes should call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.