Video shows ax-wielding man trying to break into 7-Eleven 'games of skill' machines

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police in South Philadelphia are looking for a would-be thief who tried to break into two "games of skill" machines early Monday morning.

It happened at the 7-Eleven on the 2300 block of West Passyunk Avenue around 4 a.m.

Surveillance video obtained by Action News shows a man repeatedly smashing one machine with an ax before moving on to the next one.

Despite hitting them for several minutes, he did not get into either, police said.

"It's like right out of a Friday the 13th horror movie, that's what's happening. All you're doing is getting ready and going to work one day and all of sudden you're faced with people with an ax in their hand," said Vincent Emmanuel, who owns the store.

No one was injured in the incident.

The city has seen a rash of these types of crimes due to the amount of money inside the machines.

The manufacturer has changed the way they build them. Newer games are now made with metal.

Emmanuel believes the thieves got away with nothing, but that isn't enough to put him at ease moving forward.

"The whole operation takes about two minutes, it's like a lightning bolt. It was pre-planned," said Emmanuel. "They only have to be correct one time. There's money involved. They can do this over and over again. They are getting lucky at some places, and that's what's going on."

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.