Investigations - GdP demands legal security for ATMs
The Saarland Police Union (GdP) is alarmed by the recent increase in ATM break-ins in Saarland. It is now calling for the introduction of statutory regulations for the mandatory securing of ATMs.
After two recent days of attacks on ATMs in Saarland - most recently a blast early Friday morning in Beckingen (Merzig-Wadern district) that caused considerable damage - the GdP says it sees an "urgent need for action".
While there were still six cases of ATM explosions in 2021, the number fell to just three in 2022, before climbing to nine completed and two attempted cases in 2023. "The figures are alarming, and I recall our warning from the summer, when the number of blasts in Saarland had already shot up to seven cases within six months," GdP state chairman Andreas Rinnert told the German Press Agency. In the blasts, the perpetrators used explosives - causing "not only enormous damage to property and assets, but also completely recklessly endangering the lives of residents, passers-by and emergency services."
Representatives from the banking industry, the Bundesbank, the insurance industry and the police only met in mid-November to evaluate the joint declaration "ATM blasting round table", which was adopted at the end of 2022. At that time, it was agreed, among other things, to implement a wide range of preventative measures as quickly as possible - on a voluntary basis. "The current evaluation has now shown that the number of attempted and completed ATM break-ins has remained at a very high level," said Rinnert.
In neighboring countries such as France or the Netherlands, technical security devices on ATMs are required by law, he added. For example, coloring or adhesive systems, structural security measures, fog systems or night closures.
According to Rinnert, it is known that groups of criminals are deliberately moving to Germany to blow up ATMs here. "Opportunity makes a vending machine blaster! These opportunities must be made as difficult as possible for them immediately," said the trade unionist. He once again appealed to politicians to create legal requirements to oblige banks to implement better security measures.
GdP Saarland
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Source: www.stern.de
