Man breaks into hospital, steals gumball machine

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — Police are investigating a strange crime in Utah. A thief smashed a window at a hospital and then took just one item from an office: a gumball machine.

The gumball machine was a favorite of pediatric patients.

In surveillance video provided by the hospital, the man can be seen as he drove up in his car, broke the window and then pulled out the giant gumball machine. He vigorously shoved it in his car and then took off.

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The gum dispenser had been at the hospital since the pediatric practice opened nearly two decades ago.

The gumball machine is worth about a $1,000 but what`s worse, it provided a reward for the kids who are patients there, and now it's gone.

"We had a toddler in here yesterday who kept coming up to the front desk almost in tears. 'Who did that? who took that, Mom?' And then a few minutes later. 'Who did that?' They are so angry," Dr. Mary Tipton, of the Copper View Hospital, told KSTU.

The damage to the window was about a $1,000.

The burglar was driving a dark, 2006 Chrysler 300 that had some sun damage to the roof.

CNN/KSTU