WEST JORDAN, Utah–Someone apparently has been using propane tanks here in attempts to blow up ATMs.
Police said one incident took place around 5 a.m. at a branch of Golden West Credit Union.
The incident occurred about 5 a.m. Surveillance footage shows one person standing “fairly close” to the blast, according to police.
After the explosion, the person appears to approach the damaged ATM, look at it and then run off, West Jordan Police Sgt. J.C. Holt told the Salt Lake City Tribune. The video footage appears to show the person didn’t make off with much money, Holt was quoted as saying, and it’s possible that the suspect was standing so close to the blast, he may have been injured.
According to police the explosion did significant damage to the ATM, but police didn’t hear reports of the incident until someone reported vandalism at the credit union later in the day, the Salt Lake City Tribune reported.
Salt Lake City police were investigating a similar incident that occurred at a branch of American First Credit Union.
When officers arrived at the American First ATM, they found a propane tank sitting next to an ATM with a tube running from the propane into the ATM. No one appeared to be in the area, and an officer at the scene turned off the propane before an explosion occurred, according to the Tribune.
As CUToday.info previously reported, the technique of blowing open ATMs with propane started in Europe and last year was expected to make its way to the U.S.