Several men in a U-Haul barreled through the front of Walgreens in Houston, Texas, this week. 

It was very early morning, around 4:30 am. When they arrived, police found the store’s ATM roped as if it’d been in a rodeo.

By the time authorities got there, the U-Haul and the suspects were gone. It seems that after attempts to either break into or carry off the ATM failed, the culprits fled.

The U-Haul occupants left the damaged Walgreens building and a sea of shattered glass in their wake. It looks like a tornado hit it.

While the Walgreens storefront was forced to close, pharmacy staff kept the drive-thru open so the locals could pick up their medicines.

Police say the U-Haul had either three or four men inside. They wore ski masks. No other identifying details, though.

Committing a crime that damages commercial property while using a rented or stolen U-Haul means layers of legal consequences

Georgia law charges property damage as “criminal damage to property.” If suspects endanger lives or target critical infrastructure, that’s a felony, risking one to 10 years in prison.

We can assume the damage costs more than five hundred bucks to fix and involves reckless behavior, so they still likely committed a felony with a sentence of one to five years.

If the folks above stole the U-Haul, they committed vehicle theft, which adds another felony charge. If they rented the truck and used it to commit a crime, prosecutors can charge them with fraudulent use and argue that they planned the crime from the start.

They can also take a financial hit. A judge could demand they pay restitution to cover the damages, and both the property owner and U-Haul can sue them for more money. By stacking these crimes, they build a record, rack up legal fees, and face a future shaped by multiple felony convictions.