The following is from the Cedar Falls Police:
On May 3rd at approximately 5:02 AM, Cedar Falls officers were dispatched to the Dupaco Community Credit Union at 126 Brandilynn Blvd for an alarm. The alarm indicated an ‘ATM tilt Sensor’. Officers arrived on scene and found the ATM had been damaged. Approximately 8 minutes later, the alarm was activated at the Veridian Credit Union at 1050 Brandilynn Blvd. After further investigation, officers learned the following:
A witness observed a subject operating a Telelift, and loading an ATM machine into the back of a pickup near Menards on Brandilynn Blvd. A vehicle description was given, and the vehicle was located by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office traveling East on Interstate 380. A traffic stop was initiated and the suspect vehicle attempted to elude officers at a high rate a speed. The pursuit went through different parts of Black Hawk County and stop sticks were deployed. The vehicle hit the stop sticks and eventually stopped on Hwy 218 just north of Lone Tree Road. The driver was taken into custody without incident. The suspect vehicle had been reported stolen the previous day in Waterloo. The Telelift used was taken from a construction site on Brandilynn Blvd.
Cedar Falls Public Safety personnel were assisted by the Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Black Hawk County Consolidated Dispatch Center and Rasmussen Towing.
Arrested
John Fitzgerald Bennet, age 55
1424 Patton Ave in Waterloo
Charges
Two counts of 1st Degree Theft
Two Counts of 1st Degree Criminal Mischief
Theft 2nd Degree (Theft of Motor Vehicle)
Felony Eluding
Numerous traffic violations
“ A criminal charge is an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty”