Surveillance video shows ATM explosion inside Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia neighborhood
KYW, NEW DIAMOND CHINESE RESTAURANT, CNN
By Ryan Hughes
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PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — An investigation is underway after an ATM inside a Chinese restaurant, in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, exploded early Saturday morning.
Crews from the Philadelphia Fire Department were called to the New Diamond Chinese Restaurant on the 2900 block of Ridge Avenue around 1:15 a.m. for reports of an explosion. After arriving, they found an ATM inside the building with heavy damage and smoke indicating an explosion.
Surveillance video obtained by CBS News Philadelphia shows the explosion. The owner said off camera he was cooking at the time, heard the blast, and then saw smoke filling the front of his business.
“Yeah, I know he was frightened. I mean everyone was frightened. They got a kid suppose something really would have happened caught on fire or something,” said Sharon Gilmore, who tried to use the ATM Saturday evening.
In the video, you can see the would-be thief walk inside. Another customer was waiting for food at the window, so the suspect sat down next to the ATM. Once the woman left, he lights what appears to be two fireworks, and seconds later they explode. Smoke covered the cameras, and the owner says the suspect ran away after he was unable to get any money.
“All that effort to get nothing, to get nothing,” Gilmore said.
“It’s not right for what they’re doing blowing up machines,” said Bonita Polite, who lives in the neighborhood. “If they need money that bad, they need to go get a job.”
A similar incident happened in December 2024 when suspects blew up part of an ATM at a sausage shop in the city’s Northern Liberties section. In that incident, the metal safe inside the machine was not breached, and no money was stolen, police previously said.
Police told CBS News Philadelphia, right now they do not have any information the two incidents are related.
New Diamond reopened Saturday, but the ATM was out of order.
“I hope they catch them whoever did it because it’s not right taking other people’s money,” Polite said.
Luckily, no one was injured by the explosion. Police say the investigation is active and ongoing.
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