The arrest of an American who stole a huge excavator and almost caused a disaster

An angry American man stole a huge excavator and drove it to a parking garage, where he dug a huge hole that almost caused a disaster due to the presence of gas pipes, and the police managed to arrest him in time.

Police said the man who was in jail stole an excavator from a construction site in Salt Lake City and drove it a mile before he began digging the ground near a grocery store.

Witnesses called 911 on Saturday afternoon to report a man digging "randomly" in the grass strip and sidewalk in the designated parking area.

Fortunately, there was no gas leak, according to utility crews and firefighters who also responded to the call, while police said they were still working to determine the full extent of the damage.

According to custody information provided by Salt Lake City police, Omar Ortega, 46, stole the excavator from a nearby construction site after quitting his job.

Ortega found the excavator working after its driver left it for a quick break, and was driven by an event that workers from the construction site followed on foot.

Ortega left for a grocery store a mile west of an event that began by digging randomly in the area, cutting electrical wires and smashing water pipes.

According to Fox 13.



Police also said a crowd at the store prevented the suspect from leaving before the officers arrived.

It was not clear the reasons that prompted the angry man to do this.

The total cost of damage to the city from the accident is currently over $40,500 with more likely to rise in the future.

Bail for the man's release was set at $1,000.

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