Police said the suspect entered the PNP store on the 6100 block of Rising Sun Avenue on May 8.
Surveillance video shows the man playing a game of chance machine, and it appears he may have won some money.
"Before he goes out, he puts a ticket down on the counter," said Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum with Northeast Detectives. "I guess he wanted to change in his ticket, but then he left with the machine, so that's what makes it a strange occurrence."
Video shows the man moving over to another machine before trying to break into it.
The suspect is then seen leaving the store, but he returned 30 minutes later and started to smash a machine.
Police said when a store employee confronted him, he requested a hammer so he could break into the machine. When the employee didn't have a hammer to give, the suspect attacked him, tackling him to the ground.
The employee was able to get behind the counter, and the suspect is seen on video rolling the machine out of the store before getting away,
Anyone with information is asked to call police.