Three men in their early 30s have been charged with destroying property after a string of ATM explosions around the Salt Lake Valley.
Four times the men tried to blow up various ATMs, reportedly to get to the money inside. Police have said that in each instance, the men left empty-handed.
Each man has been charged in Utah’s U.S. District Court with destruction and attempted destruction of property used in interstate commerce by fire or explosive, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday and released Friday.
All three men have entered not guilty pleas. The minimum penalty for each count in the indictment is five years. The maximum is 20 years per count.
The men reportedly connected a propane tank to the machines with a tube, and flooded the ATMs with gas before lighting a fuel trail that was meant to ignite and explode the machine.
The first two attempts were during the early hours of Jan. 7. Two men reportedly connected the contraption to a Salt Lake City ATM, and the other man allegedly attempted to explode a West Jordan ATM, the release states.
Salt Lake City police found the set up and shut off the gas before it exploded, according to Sgt. Brandon Shearer.
An explosion went off at the West Jordan ATM, but it didn’t breach the cash vault, according to West Jordan police Sgt. J.C. Holt.
The pair suspected of blowing up the Salt Lake City ATM also were charged in connection with the third explosion, which started a fire, on Jan. 19 in West Jordan.
One of those men and the man suspected of setting up the first West Jordan explosion were charged in connection with a fourth explosion, on Jan. 21, in Draper.
Jan. 7, Golden West Credit Union, at 5639 West Highlands Loop Road (around 7600 South) West Jordan
Jan. 7, America First Credit Union, at 1799 South Pioneer Road (2700 West), Salt Lake City
Jan. 18, Chartway Federal Credit Union at 2089 W. 900 South, West Jordan
Jan. 21, Zions Bank ATM at 12271 South 900 East, Draper
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