Man driving stolen excavator rips up parking lot, destroys water lines, Utah police say

A man drove a stolen excavator a mile to a Salt Lake City grocery store, where he proceeded to tear out chunks of the parking lot, Utah police reported.

Officers were notified at noon Saturday, Aug. 6, that a man was “randomly” digging up the parking lot in an excavator, police said in a news release.

A large crowd of bystanders prevented the man from fleeing and police took him into custody, the release said.

He faces charges including theft and criminal mischief, police reported on Twitter.

Along with the pavement, the rampage also damaged a water line and fiber optic lines, police said.

Officers discovered the excavator had been left running at a construction site about a mile away, the release said.

Construction workers followed the stolen excavator to the grocery store parking lot. Police said it’s not known why the man stole it.

This story was originally published August 7, 2022 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Man driving stolen excavator rips up parking lot, destroys water lines, Utah police say."