A man detonated an explosive device in an apparent attempt to access money inside an ATM at Fifth Third Bank, 3179 North Clark, in Boystown late Sunday, police said.
Officers responded to reports of a loud explosion at the drive-up ATM around 11:30 p.m., CPD spokesperson Kellie Bartoli said. They found the drive-up cash machine burned with damage to its cement pad. But the machine’s cash reserves were not compromised.
Patrick McCarron posted video of the explosion as it appeared from his nearby apartment to Twitter.
Police surveillance cameras also recorded the entire incident. CPD video shows a man walking up to the ATM and placing something next to it around 11:25 p.m. He walks away and the object explodes about 30 seconds later.
The police department’s bomb and arson squad cleared the area and deemed it safe, Bartoli said.
The suspect is described only as a man wearing a dark jacket, possibly with a white shirt or hoodie underneath. He ran through the lot and then toward Clark Street. Police believe he then went west on Belmont and then south into an alley.
Area 3 detectives are investigating.
Shortly after midnight Friday, a man got out of an SUV and placed a suspicious package outside the right field gate of Wrigley Field, police said at the time. A message attached to the package reportedly read, “this is just a warning.” Bomb and arson investigators determined that the object was not dangerous and the area was cleared. Police have not drawn a connection between the two incidents.
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