Dutch, French and German law enforcement agencies joined forces to arrest criminals who caused millions of euros in damage by blowing up ATMs.

It was in the early hours of 16 October 2024 when police forces from the three countries arrested three members of a violent criminal network that carried out explosive attacks on ATMs. Europol brought together investigators from the three countries to arrest the criminals, who are believedto have looted millions of euros and caused similar amounts of property damage between 2022 and 2024.

As part of a day of police action carried out in several locations in the Netherlands, France and Germany, law enforcement also searched car rental companies whose vehicles had been used to flee crime scenes. This criminal network in particular was one of the first to use locations in France as hideouts and to rely on getaway cars rented from a French rental company. These raids led to the gathering of extensive evidence, thus facilitating broader, more logistical investigations into members.

For several years now, criminals have increasingly been using solid explosives, mainly derived from fireworks, to blow up ATMs. This has significantly increased the danger and collateral damage of their attacks. The criminals, who are often located in the Netherlands, take extreme risks and act unscrupulously, both at the scene of the crime and when escaping in high-powered vehicles. As the attacks are often carried out in residential areas, ATM explosions and subsequent high-speed escapes can cause serious damage to buildings and residents.

To combat this phenomenon, law enforcement agencies in the countries concerned are continuously expanding their cross-border collaboration. For this particular operation, Europol brought together Dutch, French and German investigators to work on intelligence and plan the coordinated day of action. A Europol specialist with a mobile office was sent to the coordination centre to cross-check the operational results against Europol’s databases.

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