Looters Now Targeting Philly ATMs With Explosives

More than 30 ATMs in Philadelphia have been targeted by looters using explosives to try to break into the machines over the past few nights, and police are expressing growing concern after more than a dozen U-Haul trucks and several propane canisters were stolen from a business Wednesday evening.

Fox 29 reporter Steve Keeley alerted residents to the fact that the riots and looting have taken an even more destructive turn in a series of tweets on Thursday morning.

The escalation in tactics on the part of rioters shouldn’t surprise those who’ve been paying close attention to Philadelphia this year. Going back to March and the first surge in COVID cases, Chief Danielle Outlaw, Mayor Jim Kenney, and D.A. Larry Krasner have all taken a hands-off approach to crime that’s left criminals emboldened and law-abiding residents afraid for their own safety. Concealed carry applications have surged in Philly in recent months, though the city’s been accused of slow-walking applications and is currently being sued by Gun Owners of America over the year-long wait to apply for a concealed carry license.