The European Police Agency (Europol) said on Sunday that the number of ATM bombings on the continent has increased significantly and that these bombings are carried out by specialized criminal groups.
German police recorded 287 attacks last year, compared to 268 attacks in 2020, despite travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the number of attacks is expected to increase this year. By September last year, German police had recorded as many attacks as they had in all of last year, despite the reduction in the number of ATMs.
Claire George, a spokeswoman for Europol, told dpa that the explosives used by gangs in bombings have become more powerful and dangerous. “Extremely heavy explosives are used so frequently that they cause buildings to collapse and also kill innocent people,” she added.
She noted that police have identified a growing trend of explosions in a number of European countries, including Germany, southern Europe and the Baltic states. She also said that there are criminal groups that specialize in this type of bombing and that they are working internationally to carry out these attacks. It is not clear exactly how many bombings were directed against ATMs in Europe because Europol does not evaluate local cases.
