# Cash-loving Germans fret over exploding ATMs as cross-border crime wave hits
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-04-14
Category: BANKING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/banking
Meta Title: Cash-loving Germans fret over exploding ATMs as crime wave
Meta Description: Cash-loving Germans in Ratingen are alarmed by frequent ATM blasts as Dutch gangs target cash machines, causing millions in damage and thefts.
URL: https://financedigest.com/cash-loving-germans-fret-over-exploding-atms-as-cross-border-crime-wave-hitshtml

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## Cash-loving Germans fret over exploding ATMs as cross-border crime wave hits

By Tom Sims and Nette Noestlinger

RATINGEN, Germany (Reuters) – In the German town of Ratingen, exploding cash machines are a hot-button topic.

Two got blown up early on the same morning last month, at branches of Santander and Deutsche Bank across the street from each other close to the Duesseldorf suburb’s main square.

A year ago, residents of the apartments above Santander unsuccessfully sued to have the machines removed due to concerns they could be raided – a gesture that might in retrospect be deemed prophetic in other countries.

But in Germany, thieves are [blowing ATMs up at the rate](https://www.financedigest.com/sp-warns-of-possible-economic-blow-hit-to-japan-inc-from-boj-rate-hike.html "S&P warns of possible economic blow, hit to Japan Inc from BOJ rate hike") of more than one a day.

Attacks are up more than 40% since 2019, according to the interior ministry, and investigators [say two factors are driving the increase](https://www.financedigest.com/should-we-be-more-cautious-about-contactless-1-in-4-young-adults-with-contactless-cards-say-theyve-increased-their-spending.html "Should we be more cautious about contactless? 1 in 4 young adults with contactless cards say they’ve increased their spending").

[Europe’s largest](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-card-fraud-losses-climbed-18-percent-in-2015-largest-rise-in-europe.html "UK CARD FRAUD LOSSES CLIMBED 18 PERCENT IN 2015, LARGEST RISE IN EUROPE") economy has 53,000 ATM machines, a disproportionately high number that reflects Germans’ preference for cash rather than bank cards. The country also boasts an extensive network of highways, or Autobahns, on much of which no speed limit is enforced.

Ratingen lies just 70km (40 miles) from the Dutch border, and investigators say gangs from the Netherlands are the prime culprits for the attacks, which send glass flying, cause building facades to crumble and [money cartridges to crack open](https://www.financedigest.com/yolt-becomes-first-money-app-to-complete-the-integration-of-all-new-users-via-an-open-banking-api.html "Yolt becomes first money app to complete the integration of all new users via an Open Banking API").

Raiders got away with nearly 20 [million euros](https://www.financedigest.com/stellantis-to-invest-130-million-euros-in-german-plant-for-new-opel-electric-car.html "Stellantis to invest 130 million euros in German plant for new Opel electric car") ($22.1 million) in 2021, when 392 ATM explosions were recorded, a tally that rose to 496 in 2022. Police in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Ratingen lies and which has borne the brunt of the attacks, have recorded 47 incidents so far in 2023, up on [last year’s](https://www.financedigest.com/over-50-of-businesses-increased-their-cyber-security-budget-last-year-amid-attacks.html "Over 50% of businesses increased their cyber security budget last year amid attacks") rate.

![ATM attacks in Germany](https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ATM-attacks-in-Germany.jpg)

## DUTCH RAIDERS

Meanwhile the frequency of ATM attackers is falling in the Netherlands, partly due to security [measures such as glue that makes blocks of cash](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-tax-authorities-anti-fraud-measures-and-a-grab-for-cash.html "EU tax authorities – anti-fraud measures and a grab for cash") inside ATMs unusable, Dutch police say.

So Dutch cash machine raiders are crossing the border and, German police estimate, have carried out between 70% to 80% of attacks in Germany since 2018.

Dutch police suspect around 500 men are responsible, [working in ever-evolving groups](https://www.financedigest.com/fido-alliance-launches-european-working-group-to-expand-use-of-authentication-standards.html "Fido Alliance Launches European Working Group To Expand Use Of Authentication Standards") as new recruits replace those who get caught. Prosecutors in Frankfurt this week charged six Dutch citizens with causing explosions, theft and property damage.

![Crime Wave](https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Crime-wave.jpg)

Ratingen police are investigating a possible Dutch connection in [last month’s](https://www.financedigest.com/fintech-trends-to-look-out-for-during-the-last-six-months-of-2019.html "Fintech trends to look out for during the last six months of 2019") twin raid too, having identified a small vehicle that sped from the scene to a nearby Autobahn.

On Thursday, [nearly a month](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-holds-steady-near-four-month-high-on-opec-cuts.html "Oil holds steady near four-month high on OPEC+ cuts") after the attacks, Santander’s facade remained boarded up. Deutsche [Bank’s sign](https://www.financedigest.com/axion-swiss-bank-and-avaloq-sign-long-term-contract-for-bpo-services.html "Axion Swiss Bank and Avaloq sign long-term contract for BPO services") was still damaged, and a sign asked for customers’ understanding that ATMs were out of order while under repair.

In Germany, roughly 60% of everyday purchases are paid in cash, according to a Bundesbank [study that found Germans](https://www.financedigest.com/german-residential-property-market-faces-risk-of-price-drop-diw-study.html "German residential property market faces risk of price drop – DIW study"), on average, withdrew more than 6,600 euros annually chiefly from cash machines.

Germany is also [working with officials](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-us-working-on-deal-to-make-ev-minerals-eligible-for-tax-credits-eu-official.html "EU, US working on deal to make EV minerals eligible for tax credits -EU official") in Belgium and France and at Europol to combat the cash machine crime wave. The [partner authorities](https://www.financedigest.com/helping-international-families-navigate-risk-uk-authored-partner-sarah-cormack-mills-reeve.html "Helping international families navigate risk in the UK authored by Partner, Sarah Cormack, Mills & Reeve") did not respond to requests for comment.

Noting that ATM raids endangered lives, [German Interior Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/german-minister-says-on-right-track-to-solving-co2-emitting-car-row.html "German minister says ‘on right track’ to solving CO2-emitting car row") Nancy Faeser this week urged banks to step up safety measures for ATMs.

Both Santander and Deutsche said they prioritised safety and were continuously improving ATM security, but banks inside Germany are reluctant to adopt blanket measures, instead advocating a case-by-case approach depending on individual [security risk](https://www.financedigest.com/combating-the-security-risk-of-remote-working.html "Combating the security risk of remote working ").

A spokesperson for Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft, a umbrella lobby group for the nation’s financial institutions, said: “Different locations [come with different risks](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-watch-out-risk-assets-the-rout-in-bonds-is-coming-your-way.html "Analysis-Watch out risk assets, the rout in bonds is coming your way"). There is currently no one-size-fits-all solution.”

($1 = 0.9044 euros)

(Additional reporting by Milan Pavicic; editing by John Stonestreet)


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