Thief Who Emptied Coin Machines Sentenced to Prison

In a bizarre case, a cunning thief disguised himself as an employee of a coin-cashing company. He would gain access to the machines and then proceed to break into them and steal the coin vaults. However, his crime spree came to an end when he was sentenced to four years in prison. Richard Pena, the mastermind behind this elaborate scam, repeated it numerous times in 2021, ultimately amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen coins, according to NBC News. Pena would drive his van from Las Vegas to Portland, where he would execute his fraudulent operation. Thankfully, his capture was the result of a vigilant store employee who grew suspicious and alerted the authorities. The total cost of Pena’s thievery, including stolen coins and damage to the machines, is estimated to be $715,000.

Just one day before his arrest, Pena managed to steal approximately $10,000 from a store in Hillsboro, Oregon. Not satisfied with his loot, he then proceeded to steal almost $7,000 from another store in the same area. Shortly after, in Beaverton, Pena cashed in on yet another $3,000 from a store and repeated the act in a second store within the city, as reported by KGW. Following his arrest, law enforcement officers found evidence of his crimes in his rental van, U-Haul truck, and hotel room. Inside, they discovered an astonishing 1.5 million coins, equivalent to over $133,000, hidden within laundry baskets and bags. Prosecutors emphasized the magnitude of his crime, stating that this was not mere pocket change. Pena ultimately pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and has been ordered to pay $581,858 in restitution. (It’s worth noting that in April, thieves pilfered 2 million dimes from the Philadelphia Mint.)