Another large number of ATMs blown up in Rhineland-Palatinate

Crime - Another large number of ATMs blown up in Rhineland-Palatinate

In Rhineland-Palatinate, investigators have registered 45 cases of ATM explosions in the current year (as of 11.12.2023). By comparison, there were 56 cases in 2022 and 23 in 2021. This was announced by the State Office of Criminal Investigation in Mainz in response to an inquiry from the German Press Agency.

Of the 45 cases in the current year, 29 cases resulted in theft (2022: 31) and 16 cases were attempted (2022: 25). For cases in 2023, Rhineland-Palatinate investigating authorities have so far arrested four suspects in connection with ATM blasts in Rhineland-Palatinate.

In addition, in investigations against mostly professional foreign groups of perpetrators, links to other crimes in other federal states have often been established. The suspects mainly came to Rhineland-Palatinate from the Netherlands, it said. There are also some gangs from Eastern Europe.

In the Netherlands, it was announced in 2019 that various ATMs would be taken out of service on a large scale - and in some cases this has already happened. Together with the closure of ATMs at night in the Netherlands, the LKA expects an increased shift of crime scenes to Germany. "At the same time, Germany, with its comparatively high availability of ATMs and high fill levels, offers a highly attractive crime opportunity structure for criminal groups."

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1. The suspects linked to the ATM blasts in Rhineland-Palatinate primarily hail from the Netherlands, according to the State Office of Criminal Investigation in Mainz.
2. The German Press Agency reported that 45 instances of ATM explosions have occurred in Rhineland-Palatinate thus far in 2023, with a significant increase compared to the previous years.
3. The large-scale withdrawal of ATMs in the Netherlands announced in 2019, along with the nighttime closure of some ATMs, has led the LKA to expect an increase in crime scenes shifting to Germany due to its high availability of ATMs and high fill levels.
4. Among the 45 cases of ATM explosions in Rhineland-Palatinate in 2023, 29 resulted in theft, and 16 were attempted, with four suspects arrested in connection with these incidents.

Source: www.stern.de