FBI investigating after Peoria man's truck was stolen and used to pull out ATM

The family of a Peoria man is rallying together after his truck was stolen and used to pull out an ATM.

According to Peoria Police, The FBI is the lead agency in the investigation, and it isn't the first time a stolen truck has been used to commit a crime at a bank.

For Jose Perez, the truck is vital to his livelihood, and he is left with thousands of dollars in damages following the incident.

"I don't know what happens now. I need to fix my truck for work," said Perez.

Perez's truck was stolen on March 1, and it ended up at a Chase Bank location near 83rd Avenue and Lake Pleasant Parkway.

Perez’s family says the truck was used in the crime to somehow tow the ATM out.

"When we heard the news that it was used for a crime like this, it was devastating," said Laura Russell.

Russell says her dad only has liability insurance on the truck. He can't afford to get it fixed, as his tile business got hit hard financially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"So it's been a huge setback because he's barely getting back on his feet, and now, he's got thousands of dollars in damages," said Russell.

Overall, it's been a tough year for Perez. Having recently recovered from COVID-19, he now faces another obstacle.

"Seeing him heartbroken about this and saying 'you know, it's fine. I'm ready to lose.' That to me is, like, really sad hearing my dad say that, because he's worked so hard just to be where he's at," said Russell.

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