Would-be thieves crashed a van into the Family Fun Center in Tukwila early Wednesday morning, attempting to steal a cash machine, but they got away empty-handed.

"It's basically they got away with nothing and caused all this damage," Gary Hofmann said with a chuckle.

He's the operations manager at the games and amusement park.The incident happened just before 5 a.m. at the center that sits off of Fun Center Way in Tukwila. The suspects drove the vehicle through the front doors, up to an ATM and tried to make off with it. When police arrived they left the van running and took off out the back doors, according to Hofmann.

By about 8:30 a.m., fun center staff were surveying the damage, picking up glass and making repairs. Police towed the van out earlier Wednesday morning. Hofmann felt frustration because of the attempted robbery but was confident about the company's ability to rebound.

"We're not going to lose any business; we'll be open by noon," he said. "They basically drove through the front door, took out everything in it's way: a big van. Came in here and tried to take the ATM, which was right where that table is," Hofmann said indicating a table next to the wall.

"(They) tried to pull it over and they didn't get it," he said. "It was still stuck there, all beat up, but they didn't get any money or anything."

Police will now work backward with evidence from the van and surveillance video of the scene to determine who is responsible for this failed robbery. It was not known immediately whether the van was stolen.

"They made a big mess and got nothing out of it," said Mike Murphy, Tukwila Police spokesperson.

Hofmann isn't sure of an estimate for the damages at this point, but he called the damages "substantial."

"It's not structure; it's all façade type of thing," he said. Some things can't be replaced, like the paint that covers a kiosk the van backed into because it's not available anymore.

 

 

Contact Tukwila Reporter Reporter Tracey Compton at tcompton@tukwilareporter.com or 425-255-3484.

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