Europe’s criminal groups are targeting ATMs as simpler and more restrained targets than organizing dramatic and risky bank robberies, instead of the latter. In Germany – Europe’s largest economy – thieves have been blowing up more than one ATM per day in recent years. In a country where cash is still a prevalent payment method, these thefts can be incredibly lucrative, with criminals pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros in a single attack.
At the beginning of the month, German, French, and Dutch authorities arrested three members of a criminal network who attacked cash machines using explosives, as stated in Europol’s statement. The criminal network used French locations as “safe houses” and relied on rental cars from a French leasing company as getaway vehicles.
The arrests were part of a broader action by German, French, and Dutch investigators, who also searched car rental companies that provided vehicles for fleeing the scenes of crimes in the three countries on a “action day.”
According to Europol, the perpetrators mainly used solid, primarily fireworks-derived explosives to blow up cash-filled machines – this dangerous tactic causes significant damage. In 2023, robberies in Germany caused only €28.4 million in secondary damage according to the BKA.
Dutch-based gangs “take extreme risks and act ruthlessly,” says Europol, both during the robberies themselves and during the subsequent escapes with high-performance vehicles.
Germany has become Europe’s main target for ATM bombings. And because of the inclination towards cash payments, it’s not hard to understand why.
The BKA’s 2023 report notes that the number of ATM robberies has been increasing in Germany since 2005, although it has somewhat decreased from 2022 to 2023. Nevertheless, a total of 461 such robberies occurred in Germany in 2023 – the second-highest number since surveys began in 2005.
The CNN unironically blames the use of cash by Germans for the ATM bombings in the past two decades. Surely unlimited immigration has nothing to do with this…
