Pa. Attorney General: Man Charged After Allegedly Selling Dynamite Linked To ATM Explosions In Philadelphia Area
DREXEL HILL, Pa. (CBS) -- A suspect is under arrest, accused of selling dynamite linked to some of the 100 ATM explosions that have rattled the Delaware Valley. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office on Wednesday announced charges against Talib Crump.
Crump is accused of selling dynamite sticks on social media and allegedly told undercover police officers during a sting that dynamite sticks are "better than bullets" for robbing ATMs.
State prosecutors say Crump provided some of the explosive products that have been used to blow up ATMs across Philadelphia, a pattern that has since only intensified.
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"At a time that millions in our country are calling for justice, these violent crimes of distraction are intolerable," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. "They are a threat to our safety, but also to our freedom to assemble to protest and we will not tolerate it."
From Stenton Avenue in East Mount Airy to Fairmount to Brewerytown to Drexel Hill, people have been detonating the machines in hopes of quick cash.
Crystal clear video from Drexel Hill at Township Line and Drexel Avenue shows the sequence of events that rocked the area at 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt is being assisted by county detectives and the ATF in the investigation.
"We can tell there was a vehicle involved, two individuals," Bernhardt said. "There was a device that was attached to the ATM machine and lit and that device blew up the ATM machine. At this time, we do not believe the ATM was loaded with any type of money."
Neighbors say the blast shook them from their sleep.
"It shook the house. It was louder than a car crash. We've had transformers blow, we've had a lot happened," Ryan Ritz, of Havertown, said. "Especially during the times and everything else, feared for the worst."
At an earlier news conference, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw strongly condemned the destruction of ATMs. Just the other night, a man was killed detonating an explosive device inside one.
"It's not worth it. It's not worth the injury that we're seeing associated with this, it's not worth the risk to the community and the danger that it's been imposing," Outlaw said.
Prosecutors say Crump allegedly told undercover officers that he had enough explosives to blow up four more ATMs and each one would net him about $8,500.
