Following a spree of suspected ATM robberies across Germany, authorities in Bamberg are set to bring charges against a dozen individuals this week. Investigators claim these men have blown up approximately 100 ATMs, primarily in southern Germany, over the past two years, racking up several million euros in stolen cash and property damage.
The public prosecutor's office accuses the group of 27 counts of robbery, resulting in approximately three million euros in stolen funds and an additional five million euros in building damages. The suspects face charges for aggravated gang theft and causing explosive explosions, among others. However, no attempted murder charges were filed.
The modus operandi of this gang involved using solid explosive devices during their nighttime heists. They would typically flee the scene quickly in high-powered vehicles following each explosion. Andreas Stenger, President of the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office (LKA), has noted that the group appears to engage in rigorous training and punishment for any failed attempts.
The rise of card-based transactions and a decline in the number of ATMs in the Netherlands have led to increased security measures for remaining machines, forcing this German gang to seek alternative targets. Ongoing investigations in the Netherlands hint at a splinter group of the gang still operating, causing further damage and stealing money from cashboxes.
As this case moves forward in the courts, concerns remain about a potential increase in vending machine crimes due to these lesser security measures. The upcoming trial will delve deeper into the actions of this organized crime ring, shedding light on this ongoing issue.
While recent cybersecurity developments, such as the seizure of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, may offer some context, it's essential to note that the provided sources do not directly address the latest updates or sentencing details in this specific case. For that information, you should consult recent news articles or official law enforcement reports focused on the German ATM blasting gang.
Sources:
Enrichment Data:
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) seized the cybercrime marketplace Rydox, which supported various illicit activities.
- The German agency BSI sinkholed a botnet comprising 30,000 devices infected with BadBox malware.
- A man was sentenced to six years in prison for SIM swapping-related crimes, totaling millions in stolen cryptocurrency.
- ENGlobal Corporation faced a ransomware attack but did not provide details regarding the perpetrators or sentencing.
- Croatia's Port of Rijeka suffered a ransomware attack, and 58,000 customers of US Bitcoin ATM operator Byte Federal experienced a data breach.
