Criminals have caused property damage of more than 6.5 million euros this year by blowing up ATMs. The crimes are also extremely dangerous, as the State Criminal Police Office warns.
Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) - Contrary to the national trend, the number of ATM demolitions in Hesse has fallen. In the current year there have been 38 cases (as of December 15th), in the same period last year 51, as the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) announced on request in Wiesbaden. In 6 cases it was an attempt, in 11 cases the detonation was successful, but nothing was stolen. According to the perpetrators, 21 blasts were successful. The total damage rose to more than 6.5 million euros - after more than 5 million euros in the entire previous year. However, the amount of theft fell from around 2.5 million euros to around 1.6 million euros.
All regions of the state are affected, but most of the deeds were in northern Hesse and western Hesse, each with eight. It is worrying that the perpetrators are now using solid explosives in more than 80 percent of cases. "The unscrupulous perpetrators are now mainly using highly dangerous solid explosives, which destroy entire branches and ruthlessly endanger the lives of uninvolved third parties such as residents and bank customers," said the LKA. It is often only a matter of chance that no uninvolved passers-by or residents are injured or even killed.
Regional and national perpetrators acted in Hesse, most of whom came from the Netherlands and traveled to Germany specifically for the crimes. They then sped away on the freeway in high-powered vehicles.
The LKA refers to the successes of its work in this area, which has been intensified since 2019. More than 50 suspects could have been identified, 20 people had been convicted. Just last Wednesday, the police announced the arrest of seven suspected members of a gang from the Rhine-Main area specializing in ATM demolitions and drug trafficking. They are said to have blocked the access to the crime scene with burning cars.
For the coming week, the police have scheduled control days in Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony to deter potential perpetrators. From December 19th to 21st, ATMs and national travel routes would be monitored more frequently, the LKA announced.
In May 2022, the "Allianz ATMs" was founded by the police and banks in Hesse. This involves prevention at locations where the risk is particularly high. Data-based analyzes would be used for the assessment, the LKA explained. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the preventive measures include video surveillance, overnight closing times and protection against coloring of the notes.
Most savings banks have now introduced overnight closing times, explains the Savings Banks and Giro Association of Hesse-Thuringia. Other preventive measures would also be used depending on the risk analysis. Individual ATMs have been dismantled, for example in commercial areas, where there is high demand during the day but are lonely at night. Cooperation with the police is a reasonable and correct approach, says association spokesman Matthias Haupt. However, it is still too early to take stock of the effectiveness.
