Amid US protests, people in Philadelphia are looting and destroying ATMs

As the United States is witnessing violent protests across the nation over the death of African American George Floyd, there have been certain instances of looting and vandalisation of public properties. In the same light, Philadelphia authorities said on June 3 that people have destroyed at least 50 cash machines near the state with explosions causing one death. According to the officials, it was in an attempt to steal either the entire ATM or the money stored inside. 

The police officials have arrested a 25-year-old man who allegedly sold homemade dynamite on the streets along with instructions to use them for cash machines. 

However, according to reports, the authorities still remain unsure if the person in custody was involved in the coordinated effort to blow up the ATMs. The companies that manufacture cash machines were instructed by the officials to remove money in a bid to prevent further robberies and explosions that killed one 24-year-old man who tried to break into an ATM. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw noted that it is not worth it.

“It’s not worth it,” Outlaw said. “It’s not worth the injuries that we’re seeing associated with this, and it’s not worth the risk to the community and the danger that it’s been imposing.”

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Man charged with possession of dynamite

The man who is charged with the possession of weapons and explosives of mass destruction is Talib Crump has also committed felonies like terror threats and risking a catastrophe. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a press conference that Crump even boasted about using dynamite to rob an ATM along with posting instructions on how to best use the explosive. Shapiro elaborated that Crump revealed he had stolen $8,500 from a cash machine he blew recently. The man is now under police custody after staging an undercover buy. Shapiro also said that Crump had a car filled with dynamite which is enough to destroy at least four ATMs. 

Crump had “bragged on social media that using dynamite was better than bullets for robbing an ATM and offered up explicit instructions on how to best set dynamite up to blow up an ATM,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro

“This individual, whether he proves to be associated with coordinated efforts to blow up ATMs in Philadelphia, sought to take advantage of civil unrest to sow chaos and destruction,” he added.

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Image Source: AP

(With AP inputs)