The investigative police unit tasked with this particular criminal enterprise is working relentlessly and in cooperation with foreign departments, since the group of suspects has also been active outside of the Grand Duchy.
The tactic of each incident appears to be identical, at least from a technical point: a gas agent is pumped into the cash machine, which is then detonated minutes later. The explosion rips the machine out of its anchoring, which subsequently frees up the cash inside.
The culprits managed to escape in all 9 incidents of the past, the latest one occurring in Pommerloch on Saturday:
Yet another cash machine blown upThe police provided RTL with a written response to the questions surrounding the spree, in which it is emphasised that the investigations are still being conducted thoroughly, which is why some pieces of information, as for instance the identity of the suspects, still have to be withheld from the public.
The same procedure of blowing up cash machines has also been observed in other European countries, while different methods are being employed to commit the deed, such as ramming or various forms of explosive agents. It is yet too early to identify a concrete pattern in the events.
The police also underlined that as with the Dutch authorities, measures were being initiated in Luxembourg to increase the protection of machines. The Netherlands already decided to eliminate all machines built into residential buildings within 3 years. Another measure taken is the overnight closure of machines. Most of the cash machines blown up in the Netherlands since 2013 were standing on the outskirts of municipalities. Germany has been plagued with a similar problem, police noting around 400 such incidents in 2019 alone, most occurring in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Local police forces are meanwhile counting on the cooperation of Luxembourg's citizens to help identify suspicious behaviour around cash machines, which can be called in via telephone (113). The case is ever more important since innocent people could be seriously injured during the explosions. Although this has not yet occurred, the material damage was significant in each case. The criminal group can land up to €300,000 per coup, as has been communicated in German media, which further allude that the culprits may be operating out of Utrecht.
Meanwhile, the costs for upgrading the security of cash machines will have to be paid by the respective banks.
