All news

Suspects arrested after gas station break-in by axe-wielding thieves

The suspects, caught on video with masks and a stolen case of scratchers, are now in police custody.

A screenshot from the security footage, shows the two suspects at the scene of the crime.
A screenshot from the security footage, shows the two suspects at the scene of the crime. Photograph credit to the Duncan Police Department.
Todd Betzold

Halloween may be over, but these thieves seem to think otherwise. Early Sunday morning, two masked suspects — one sporting a “Scream” hoodie and wielding an axe — smashed their way into an Oklahoma convenience store and made off with a case of Oklahoma Lottery scratchers.

As police were searching for the suspects, who have now been arrested, there seemed to be more questions than answers that popped up.

The robbery

Around 5:15 a.m. CT on Sunday, December 1, 2024, two suspects broke into a Chisholm Corner, located at 211 E. Chestnut Ave. in Duncan.

The duo were caught on surveillance cameras, with one of the suspects wearing a “Scream” hoodie while carrying an axe. Both of the suspects were seen wearing masks at the time of the robbery.

In the footage, the pair can be seen running off with a case of Oklahoma Lottery scratch-off tickets.

The public's help was needed

After obtaining the video footage from the robbery, police posted photos of the suspects on their Facebook page.

The Duncan Police Department said the pair were slender men wearing gloves and masks. Anyone with information was asked to contact the Duncan Police Department.

Updates on the case

After the original post went live on Facebook, police updated it with more photos. They now had a person and vehicle of interest for the break-in.

Police noted that the tag on the vehicle's license plate did not match the vehicle, so they seemed to have more questions than answers.

However, those questions were answered, as police released another update saying the suspects have now been located.

Big winner on Oklahoma Lottery scratcher

The thieves must have heard about a recent Oklahoma man who hit it big on a scratch-off ticket, which is why they tried to steal a case of them.

Possibly, but that lucky man was Frank, a resident of Harrah. He recently claimed the top prize on the $3 Million Mania scratcher.

The winning ticket was purchased at an EZ Mart in Harrah, and Frank made his way to the Oklahoma Lottery Winner Center to claim his winnings.

With the winnings in his possession now, Frank is going to be sharing the love this holiday season. He told lottery officials that he plans on buying a new home for his daughter and her family.

Frank happened to be the first person to claim the top prize in the $3 Million Mania game. That means there is still one top prize remaining in the game.

Making millionaires in Oklahoma

With Frank's big win, he became the Oklahoma Lottery's 85th millionaire.

The Oklahoma Lottery has been paying out those winnings, too, as they paid out over $271 million in prizes to players last fiscal year.

Since the lottery launched, they have generated more than $1.32 billion in funds that have been given to the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund. These funds are then appropriated into school budgets by the State Legislature. From there, the funds are then allocated for use by the District Administration.

Enjoy playing the Oklahoma Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.

Comments

0
Loading comments

Related articles

Nick Perry and his lawyer, Thomas Livingston, giving a press conference after the trial.
The Kingpins of Keystone: Pennsylvania's underground lottery empire

How illegal lotteries helped pay for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alex Cramer profile pic

Alex Cramer

Parker's #94, located at 230 Church Street in Georgetown.
Woman charged with lottery fraud over a scratcher worth just $25

Investigators say she took the scratcher while on the job and then cashed it in at another location.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The Main Stop convenience store in Pioneer, Ohio.
Woman who set fire to cover lottery theft finally admits guilt

A Toledo woman admitted guilt in an $89K lottery theft scheme.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher

Recent articles

View All
The Jersey Cash 5, Nebraska Pick 5, and Palmetto Cash 5 logos over a pink background with golden stars.
Five-number draw games score jackpot wins in 3 states on the same night

From $180K to $472K, players in Nebraska, New Jersey, and South Carolina are a whole lot richer.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The Michigan Lottery Super Raffle logo over a black background.
Michigan Lottery launches biggest raffle prize in history

Michigan Lottery's $6 million Super Raffle returns with premium $50 tickets targeting high-roller players.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher

Parker's #94, located at 230 Church Street in Georgetown.
Woman charged with lottery fraud over a scratcher worth just $25

Investigators say she took the scratcher while on the job and then cashed it in at another location.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The Rhode Island Numbers logo over a blue background with dollar signs.
Why 1-2-3-4 just made thousands of Rhode Islanders rich

Sequential numbers just paid out nearly 500% across Rhode Island.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher