Justice - Deal in the trial against ATM burglar
In the trial against a suspected gang of ATM bombers, an unexpectedly quick end is emerging. According to the Landgericht Bamberg, 13 out of the 16 defendants have reached a plea bargain. The deal involves the defendants extensively admitting to the charges. In return, the court, defendants, and prosecution have agreed on an upper and lower limit for the prison sentences.
This means that the proceedings, which were initially planned to start as a mammoth case, could end significantly earlier than anticipated. Initially, numerous dates were scheduled until January 2026.
The chamber currently assumes that only three witnesses and one expert witness for DNA analysis need to be heard, it was further stated. It is possible that the closing arguments could begin as early as this Wednesday.
The prosecution accuses the 16 men from the Netherlands and Belgium of damaging numerous ATMs throughout Germany, especially in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, to obtain the cash. The method of operation is described as "mafia-like structures" in the indictment.
The prosecution estimates the proceeds to be over 3.3 million Euros. The damage caused by the explosions is believed to be even higher: over 5.5 million Euros. Since the investigators also attribute cases in Zapfendorf and Forchheim in Upper Franconia to the defendants, the case came before the court in Bamberg.
The rooms of the Landgericht were found to be too small for the 16 defendants, numerous defense lawyers, and interpreters. Therefore, the trial is being held in a sports hall on the Bundespolizei-Gelände. The cost is immense: In addition to the trial days, the defendants, who are in various prisons throughout Bavaria, must be transported to Bamberg, accompanied by numerous police officers.
- Despite reaching plea bargains with 13 defendants, the public prosecutor's office in Bavaria continues to firmly pursue justice for the remaining 3 suspected ATM bombers.
- The unusual speed of the trial in Bamberg, Germany, has attracted attention not only in Bavaria but also in neighboring regions like Upper France and Baden-Württemberg.
- The regional court in Bamberg will rely mainly on the testimonies of three witnesses and an expert for DNA analysis in determining the guilt or innocence of the remaining defendants.
- The crime scene investigators from Bamberg have linked the defendants to a series of ATM bombings not only in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg but also in small towns like Zapfendorf and Forchheim in Upper France.
- Following the example of the Bamberg case, regional courts in Germany, including those in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, have started considering alternative courtroom settings, such as sports halls, to accommodate large numbers of defendants and their legal teams.
