Explosive Used In ATM Robbery Attempt: Philadelphia Police

PHILADELPHIA – An explosive was used in what Philadelphia Police say was an attempt to break open an ATM to steal money Wednesday evening. Police have made one arrest in connection with the incident and are searching for a second suspect.

According to police at about 9:35 p.m. Wednesday a woman went into a beer distributor at Allegheny Avenue and Jasper Street and put some kind of firework into the discharge slot of the ATM, lit the object, and ran from the store.

The front of the ATM then exploded and the woman fled the area heading south on Allegheny, police said.

Then several men ran in and grabbed items from the top of the machine.

The ATM's safe wasn't damaged in the explosion and no money was taken, according to police.

Before the explosion, an man, seen above, came into the store with what bomb technicians have determined to be an M-1000, police said. He then left the store and has spoke with the woman mentioned above before she went back into the store with the device.

A about 1 a.m. June 21, police stopped a woman at Frankford and Clearfield streets. She was positively identified as the suspect and taken into custody, police said.

Police are searching for the man pictured above.

The investigation is active and ongoing with the Bomb Disposal Unit, The Fire Marshal’s Office, and the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force.

Anyone who can identify the man above or provide information on the incident is asked to contact Det. Brooks with the Bomb Disposal Unit at (215) 685-8013.

No one was hurt in the incident.

This marks the second explosion investigation launched by police in just a few days' time.

On June 17, two people were seen throwing a firework inside a Chinese restaurant on the 700 block of East Thayer Street.

The City Wide Arson Task Force is investigating the June 17 incident.

Below is footage of the Wednesday and June 17 incidents, respectively:

Patch file photo