Suspect in ATM Heist Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Accident
The 30-year-old man accused of robbing an ATM has found himself in hot water after an accidental death. The State Criminal Police Office and the public prosecutor's office announced on Monday that the arrest warrant for the alleged robber includes a charge of murder. On November 11, the passenger of a van collided with the getaway car of the suspected robbers, who were fleeing down the wrong side of the Autobahn 6 near Heilbronn. The man died of his injuries several days later.
Both the driver of the van and the suspected robber sustained serious injuries in the crash. The trio, including two other 21-year-olds, allegedly blew up an ATM in Wiernsheim (Enzkreis). When discovered by investigators during the manhunt, they fled, rammed a patrol car, and then drove onto the highway as a wrong-way driver.
The driver of the suspected robbers might have fulfilled the murder criteria, according to the LKA. This includes malice, the use of dangerous means to the public, and intent to conceal, as per the alleged involvement in the previous ATM explosion.
In 2022, around 40 ATMs have been destroyed in Baden-Württemberg. Last year, the robbers stole around 1.9 million euros, and the damage to buildings and ATMs was significantly higher. Yet, despite the high risk and low detection rate of 15%, the reward outweighed the risks for the modern-day tank crackers.
Most of the ATM blasts in Germany were reportedly carried out by Dutch-Moroccan perpetrators. The three suspected robbers from Wiernsheim are also Dutch nationals.
Consequences and Countermeasures
Despite the fatal accident, these suspects continued their criminal activities, causing traffic accidents and blowing up ATMs. Local authorities are taking measures to prevent such incidents, including:
- Risk assessment: Training for police officers to weigh the risks of pursuing a suspect against the need to apprehend them.
- Alternative tactics: Police employing surveillance, staking out locations, or using specialized units to apprehend suspects without high-speed chases.
- Prioritizing public safety: Officers choosing to abandon pursuits if they become too dangerous.
- Legislative measures: Regulations limiting the use of sirens and emergency lights to minimize accident risks.
- Public awareness campaigns: Educating the public on the dangers of high-speed pursuits and traffic laws.
- Technological solutions: Implementing GPS tracking and real-time surveillance to monitor suspects without engaging in high-speed chases.
- Regular training: Police officers undergo regular training sessions focusing on de-escalation techniques and non-lethal force.
Gathering precise data on the frequency of high-speed pursuits resulting in fatalities in Baden-Württemberg requires consulting local law enforcement reports or official statistics from the state's traffic authority.
