Police say a late-night ATM job in the Kearns/Taylorsville area went sideways fast for 41-year-old Branden M. Best, who now finds himself back in jail instead of out on bond.
Best, a Magna resident, was arrested after officers say he tried to break into an ATM at a Mountain America Credit Union branch in the Kearns/Taylorsville area on April 26, at about 2 a.m. Investigators say he was already out on bond in an unrelated hit-and-run case. He was identified after a vehicle tied to the incident was found the next day in Kearns. Authorities say surveillance footage and charging paperwork show the attempt involved tools and a vehicle, and court records list separate pending burglary and fleeing cases against him.
How police say the ATM attempt unfolded
According to a police booking affidavit, the would-be thief came prepared but not very successful. The affidavit states the suspect spray-painted over the ATM camera, then used a long screwdriver as a pry bar. When that did not work, he allegedly tried two different drills on the machine’s panels. After failing to get to the cash, the suspect repositioned his vehicle and rammed the ATM twice before driving away. Investigators say those steps were captured on surveillance video and summarized in charging paperwork, as reported by KSL.
Where it happened
The attempted break-in took place at the Mountain America Credit Union branch listed at 5471 S. 4015 W., a Kearns/Taylorsville-area location that the credit union shows on its branch directory. Mountain America’s online listings confirm an ATM and drive-through services at that address, matching police descriptions of the scene, according to Mountain America Credit Union.
Arrest, prior cases and items seized
Police say the vehicle seen on surveillance during the attempted ATM break-in was found the next day in the Kearns area. The arresting officer wrote that a temporary license plate on the vehicle "expired in 1997" and was printed on common printer paper. Detectives say they linked the car to Best using tattoos and other evidence from a prior arrest, and that a search of the impounded vehicle turned up a Demun crossbow with arrows and a homemade metal crossbow, according to charging documents.
Court records state that Best had posted bond in the March 21 hit-and-run case on April 20 and still faces those earlier charges in district court, as reported by KSL.
Legal implications
Authorities say Best was booked for investigation of attempted theft, causing property damage, and having a forged license plate. The March hit-and-run case includes counts alleging he was a restricted person in possession of a weapon. Utah’s restricted-person statute outlines when possession of certain firearms or dangerous weapons by a restricted person can be charged as a felony, according to Utah Code § 76‑10‑503. Utah’s sentencing guidance notes that a third-degree felony can carry up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000, per the Utah Courts.
