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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who allegedly stole three ATMs from the Salt Palace and a downtown hotel, and attempted to take a fourth machine, has been arrested by police.
Steven Early, 50, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Wednesday for investigation of four counts of theft, three counts of burglary, two counts of drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an arresting officer and having an open alcohol container in his vehicle.
On Sept. 26, about 12:15 a.m., Early entered the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, loaded an ATM onto a hand truck and moved it toward one of the exits, according to a police booking affidavit. He then walked back through the Salt Palace to get to his car so he could move it closer to the ATM, but he was spotted by security and removed from the building before he could complete the theft, police stated.
Early then went to the Marriott City Center Hotel, 220 S. State, loaded up another ATM and this time successfully took it to another location where he was able to cut it open and take approximately $5,500 in cash, according to the affidavit.
On Oct. 11, Early returned to the Salt Palace and this time successfully took another ATM, the affidavit states. That machine was also cut open and $1,200 in cash taken, the affidavit states.
On Oct. 15, Early took another ATM from the Salt Palace, cut it open and retrieved about $3,500 in cash, acceding to the affidavit.
Using video from security cameras, police were able to identify Early as a suspect. On Wednesday, police received a tip that Early was near the Salt Lake International Center, 675 N. Wright Brothers Drive. Officers responded to the area and located Early in a vehicle. He resisted officers who tried to place handcuffs on him but was eventually taken into custody, according to police. Drugs and an open bottle of alcohol were found in his vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Police say the investigation into Early remained active as of Friday.
Unified police say they are investigating an ATM robbery at the Park Inn by Radisson, 280 W. 7200 South, in which Early is the suspect. In that case, a man walked into the hotel on Oct. 7 and told employees that he worked for the ATM company and was taking the machine with him to do a software update, according to police.
