Texas woman arrested in South Carolina tied to Utah ATM case

PROVO — A Texas woman who claims she was part of a group that traveled around the country attempting to steal ATM machines has been linked to an incident in Utah.

On March 31, about 4:30 a.m., someone tried to take or break into an ATM at Capital Community Bank, 3280 N. University Ave in Provo.

"When officers arrived, they saw an empty truck but no one was located. The officers observed the truck, still running, was chained to an ATM and it appeared the truck was used to try and access the ATM. The front portion of the ATM had been pulled/broken into and the top portion was opened," according to charging documents. No money was taken.

Surveillance video showed three people in the truck. But police were unable to identify the trio and the case was closed, the charges state.

On Oct. 12, Provo police received a call from authorities in South Carolina saying they had arrested a couple of people for investigation of an ATM robbery in their state. While searching the phone of one of the arrested people, Tyionna Chne Mortley, 19, of Houston, detectives found information that tied her to the Provo case, according to the charges.

"GPS data showed her in Provo at 3289 N. University Ave on the day the ATM was broken into. Mortley had stated that she was the driver for the group of men arrested with her. Mortley stated she drove across country with the others to ATMs to burglarize them along the way," the charges state.

Mortley was charged Monday in 4th District Court with criminal mischief, a second-degree felony; and two counts of theft, a third-degree felony.

It was not immediately known Monday if charges were pending against any other suspects.

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