ATM burglars on the hunt for records - 39 cases in 2023
In Baden-Württemberg, criminals are likely to have blown up more ATMs this year than ever before. So far, 39 machines have been destroyed since the turn of the year (as of 20.11.), according to the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in Stuttgart on Tuesday. This is already 5 more than last year and only 2 fewer than were registered in the entire previous record year of 2020. Last year alone, the robbers, who very often come from the Netherlands, stole around 1.9 million euros, and the damage to buildings and ATMs is significantly higher.
Blowing up ATMs has almost replaced the "classic" bank robbery in recent years, said LKA President Andreas Stenger. Despite the huge risk posed by the explosive device, the haul is a safe bet for modern-day tank crackers: according to the Ministry of the Interior, the detection rate for 2022 is 15 percent.
In recent weeks, explosions in Esslingen and Riedlingen, in a grocery store in Ortenaukreis and twice in Lahr have caused a stir. A suspected blaster also made headlines when his getaway car crashed head-on into a van on the Autobahn 6 near Heilbronn about a week and a half ago. He and two other men were seriously injured. According to the LKA, the man had previously blown up an ATM in Wiernsheim (Enzkreis) together with two cronies. Police found 40,000 euros in cash from the exploded machine and explosives in the getaway car.
The escalating number of ATM burglaries in Baden-Württemberg raises concerns about internal security, with 39 machines destroyed this year alone. To tackle this crime wave, the German authorities need to enhance their strategies for detecting and preventing such incidents.
Source: www.dpa.com
