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Mt. Rainier ATM theft latest in string

By Justin Mitchell

MT. RAINIER, Md. — Thieves pulled into a BP gas station on Eastern Avenue in Mount Rainier and drove off with an ATM after assaulting the clerk early Monday.

Police say they received a report of someone acting hysterically at the gas station. When they arrived, they found the clerk outside the store.

The clerk told police four men pulled up to the store in a white Ford pickup truck. They pried the door open and assaulted him.

They then stole the ATM, an unknown amount of cash from the register and cigarettes. The clerk suffered a minor head injury.

This incident was the latest in in a long line of ATM thefts and robberies in Prince George’s County in the last few months. Last week, someone drove a pickup truck into a CVS store in Forestville, attempting what is known as a “smash and grab” ATM theft. Last fall, several such incidents happened in August and September.

So is this a trend?

“In all of 2013, we think we had somewhere around 15, plus or minus one or two, actual ATMs stolen,” Lt. William Alexander of the Prince George’s County Police told WTOP Monday. “In 2014, we’ve actually had only one ATM successfully stolen.”

That doesn’t include the Mt. Rainier incident, which Alexander said was being handled by the Mt. Rainier Police Department. Requests for comment from the Mt. Rainier police went unanswered.

But while incidents are down, Prince George’s County police have not made any arrests for the incidents last fall, and are not ruling out the possibility that all of these thefts could be connected.

“[Investigators] do think that some of the overall ATM thefts have been committed by the same suspect or group of suspects,” Alexander said. “But there’s nothing definitive at this point that links one singular group or singular suspect to all of the overall ATM-related incidents.”

Alexander stressed that investigators are working hard to solve the case, and are collaborating with other jurisdictions.

ATM theft isn’t just a problem in Prince George’s County. Mark Smith of Kahuna ATM Solutions told WTOP that it’s a nationwide problem — one caused primarily by a misconception about how much money free-standing store ATMs actually carry.

“The irony of it is that rarely do those ATMs have very much money in them,” Smith said. “They’re low capacity ATMS, they’re not banking ATMs.”

Smith said that bank ATMs often have as much as $80,000 in them

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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