FBI arrests man accused of using explosives on Woburn ATM

A Stoneham man was arrested and federally charged Wednesday after allegedly placing an explosive device on an ATM in Woburn in early September, police said. 

Christopher Silva, 43, was arrested Wednesday morning at his Stoneham home by the FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force. He was charged with maliciously damaging the ATM with an explosive, the Woburn Police Department said in a Facebook post. 

Silva allegedly placed an explosive device on an ATM at Eastern Bank on Mishawum Road on Sept. 4 around 4 a.m., police said. 

Investigators found the ATM was tampered with, and it “sustained damage consistent with some type of an explosive device being detonated,” the statement said. 

Silva was allegedly linked to the crime from clothing and DNA evidence found near the scene, according to police.  

The bank’s surveillance footage allegedly shows Silva placing an object at the bottom of the ATM and running away when the object emitted smoke and exploded seconds later, an affidavit said. 

“The explosion caused significant damage to the frame and the lower right section of the ATM,” the report said. Nobody was injured in the explosion.

The footage led to a physical description of the suspect, who was wearing a blue mask, a backpack, and a dark long-sleeve shirt. The clothes were recovered Sept. 8 in a nearby parking lot, an affidavit said. 

A federal search warrant at Silva’s home executed Oct. 29 allegedly led to the recovery of a backpack similar to Silva’s and other items involved in the crime, an affidavit said. 

Law enforcement’s search of Silva’s cellphone also found he had searched up two news articles regarding the Eastern Bank ATM explosion. 

Silva declined to speak to law enforcement and invoked his Miranda rights, the affidavit said.

Silva’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.