“In the early hours of Thursday, March 23, 2023, startled residents of Kronberg, a picturesque town nestled in the heart of Germany, were abruptly awakened by the sound of multiple explosions,” reports CNN.
“Criminals had blown up an ATM situated beneath a block of flats in the bustling town center, sending shockwaves through the community as the once peaceful night turned chaotic…” Witnesses recounted seeing individuals clad in dark clothing fleeing the scene in a black getaway vehicle, speeding towards a nearby highway as the alarm bells rang. During the audacious heist, the thieves made off with a staggering 130,000 euros in cash. The brazen act also inflicted approximately half a million euros in collateral damage, a figure corroborated by findings from Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, BKA.
In recent years, rather than engaging in dramatic, high-stakes bank heists, increasingly bold criminal groups across Europe have strategically shifted their focus towards ATMs, viewing them as less risky yet lucrative targets. In Germany, Europe’s largest economy, the rate of ATM explosions has surged dramatically, with criminals currently executing more than one such attack each day. This trend is particularly striking in a nation where cash is still a prevalent payment method, making the thefts extremely profitable, with criminals easily pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros in a single operation.
Europol has been at the forefront of combating this wave of robberies, launching extensive cross-border initiatives targeting the highly organized criminal syndicates behind these attacks. Earlier this month, collaborative efforts by law enforcement agencies from Germany, France, and the Netherlands led to the arrest of three members of a notorious criminal network responsible for a series of explosive assaults on cash machines. Europol revealed that these suspects, since 2022, are believed to have pilfered millions of euros while incurring a similar amount in property damage, between 2022 and 2024.
In contrast to its European neighbors, who have largely moved away from cash payments in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, cash continues to hold a significant place in German society. A striking 50% of all transactions in 2023 were made using physical banknotes and coins, as reported by the Bundesbank. This enduring preference for cash reflects a cultural attachment in Germany, where many individuals view it as a secure payment method, offering a greater sense of privacy and enhanced control over personal finances.