ATM Explosion In Bloomingdale May Be Related To 2 Similar Crimes

VALRICO, FL — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office believes an ATM explosion Saturday at the Regions Bank at 3522 Bell Shoals Road is connected to two similar explosions in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

During a press conference, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister confirmed that investigators are looking into the possibility that the three explosions may have been perpetrated by the same person.

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During the late-night, early-morning hours of Friday and Saturday, someone spray-painted the lenses of surveillance cameras at the bank's drive-up ATM and then planted an explosive device that blew up the ATM. The sheriff's office said it's unclear how much money was taken from the ATM.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded to the scene.

The crime is similar to two other recent ATM explosions.

During the early-morning hours of Nov. 4, an ATM was blown up at the drive-through of the BB&T Bank at 3209 Tampa Road in Oldsmar.

Then, a similar explosion took place at the Pilot Bank at 12471 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, during the early-morning hours of Dec. 22. Like Saturday's explosion, the surveillance cameras were spray-painted but investigators were able to obtain a photo of a lone masked man walking away from the scene.

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.