Law enforcement authorities successfully thwarted the bombing attacks on automated teller machines.
Sabotaging ATMs is a profitable criminal endeavor. According to experts, the tactics employed by these criminals are "daring and merciless." This assessment stems from the ongoing investigations. Recently, authorities made several arrests and carried out searches in various nations worldwide, spearheaded by the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The targeted individuals are suspected of being involved in a pair of ATM bombings that occurred between February and April of 2023 in various states, leading to significant financial losses. Police have collected substantial evidence relating to these incidents and are currently assessing it.
Extensive searches were conducted in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, resulting in the apprehension of three individuals in the Netherlands. Authorities also conducted investigations in France, with searches taking place in North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, and several other regions in Germany.
Involved in this operation were police forces from Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt, with crime scenes spanning across Baden-Württemberg, NRW, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as later incidents in Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse.
"Daring and merciless"
Investigators are also finding and apprehending the supporters and logistics personnel associated with the suspected criminal organization. It is believed that the Dutch are playing a significant role in these criminal activities. "The perpetrators usually operate in shifting groups within a large criminal network," reported the LKA. "Their actions are extremely daring and merciless, both during the commission of the crime and in their subsequent escapes, which often involve high-performance vehicles." The increasing use of solid explosives has only increased the danger level of these crimes.
Six of the incidents occurred in Rhineland-Palatinate towns such as Bad Breisig, Bitburg, Andernach, Wittlich, and twice in Bad Dürkheim. Two additional explosions occurred in Bad Königshofen and Stadtlauringen in Bavaria. One isolated case in the Schwalm-Eder district of North Hesse could be traced back to individual suspects.
The daring and merciless tactics used by these criminals in sabotaging ATMs have resulted in significant financial losses and numerous arrests worldwide. Despite their attempts to escape using high-performance vehicles, authorities continue to apprehend them as part of ongoing crime investigations.
