STONEHAM, Mass. — A Stoneham man has been arrested and charged in connection with a pre-dawn explosion that severely damaged an Eastern Bank ATM in Woburn last month.
Federal investigators say Christopher James Silva, 43, placed an explosive device at the ATM located at 299 Mishawum Road around 4:12 a.m. on September 4. Surveillance footage captured Silva approaching the machine wearing a blue balaclava, black jumpsuit, and carrying a backpack.
Moments after placing a smoking object on the ATM, Silva fled the scene. The device detonated seconds later, causing significant damage.
Authorities recovered key items — including the balaclava, yellow glasses, a jumpsuit, and red Puma sneakers — in a nearby shared parking lot. DNA collected from the balaclava and glasses matched Silva through the national CODIS database.
Investigators tracked Silva’s movements through surveillance footage from nearby businesses, which showed him walking from the scene to his residence in Stoneham — a distance of nearly four miles. A Nest camera on Lee Street captured Silva passing by around 6 a.m., still wearing clothing consistent with earlier footage.
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On Wednesday, federal agents executed search warrants at Silva’s home. Inside, they found a backpack, a t-shirt, and a shoebox matching items seen in surveillance videos. Silva’s cellphone, which was unlocked, revealed he had viewed news articles about the explosion on the same day it occurred.
Silva invoked his Miranda rights and declined to speak with investigators. He now faces federal charges for maliciously damaging property with an explosive.
The investigation was led by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Massachusetts State Police and several local departments.
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