Chilean ATM Gang Disguised as Construction Workers Hit Oregon, Washington and California

The Oregon U.S. District Attorney’s Office assisted in an investigation into a string of ATM robberies in Oregon, California, and Washington by Chilean thieves disguised as construction workers who stole more than $4 million.

The investigation, led by the FBI and involving 13 police and sheriff’s office lawmen, led to the arrest in Newport Beach on Monday of Diego Ananias Arellano Diaz, aka Fabio Cristian Hernandez.

He faces charges of conspiracy to break into and steal money from financial institutions between May and October 2024.

The Gang Disguised Themselves as Construction Workers

Disguised as construction workers, members of the ATM gang avoided drawing attention to themselves as they went to work armed with blowtorches, cellphone jamming equipment, and other sophisticated equipment.

The robbers set up base at short-term rental properties close to their targets, using cars they rented on the black market.

According to court records, Arellano was identified as one of the suspects for a bombing and burglary at a San Ramon ATM on July 20, 2025.

He is also charged in the Los Angeles Superior Court with assault with a deadly weapon under his alias of Fabio Hernandez. He is in state custody and will appear in a federal court following state proceedings.

The Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. If convicted, Arellano faces 20 years imprisonment for bank robbery, and a further five years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank robbery.