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

The Mississippi Lottery logo over a white background.
Mississippi Lottery sales have hit the $3B mark since its 2019 debut

A mix of new games and strong player support has fueled rapid growth in one of the nation's newest lotteries.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

William Alan Passarelli.
A Nashville man's lottery shortcut may cost him far more than he won

Stolen tickets, a bicycle, and a phone call led the man's lottery scheme to come undone.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation logo for the 35th anniversary.
Louisiana Lottery marks 35 years with new games and big prizes

The rollout includes five new tickets, Fast Play games, and a second-chance promotion for players.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Recent articles

View All
Executive Director of the Office of Lottery and Gaming. Mr. Randy Burnside.
Featured
Exclusive interview
DC Lottery Director Randy Burnside discusses Millionaire for Life

In this exclusive interview, we discuss this exciting new lottery game that can pay out millions every day.

Alex Cramer profile pic

Alex Cramer

The Mississippi Lottery logo over a white background.
Mississippi Lottery sales have hit the $3B mark since its 2019 debut

A mix of new games and strong player support has fueled rapid growth in one of the nation's newest lotteries.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The  Acme store located at 460 E. Main Street in Middletown, Delaware.
$231M Powerball jackpot win sets new record in Delaware

The win tops a 20-year-old record, rewriting the state's lottery history in one night.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

William Alan Passarelli.
A Nashville man's lottery shortcut may cost him far more than he won

Stolen tickets, a bicycle, and a phone call led the man's lottery scheme to come undone.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher