Explosion of two ATMs near Amsterdam, and the arrest of two suspects
Two cashpoint machines were destroyed in overnight explosions in towns near Amsterdam, raising fresh concerns about ATM-related crime in the region.
The first incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Marconistraat in Badhoevedorp, followed by a second explosion about 30 minutes later targeting a Geldmaat (shared ATM network) machine in Landsmeer, north of the capital.
In both attacks, the front of the machines was blown out of the wall due to the قوة الانفجار (force of the explosion). Authorities have not confirmed whether any cash was stolen during the incidents.
Police arrested two suspects in Amsterdam shortly after the Badhoevedorp explosion. The men were reportedly seen fleeing the scene on a scooter and were apprehended within an hour.
The attacks came just one day after similar explosions destroyed cashpoints in Laren and Amsterdam-Zuid, suggesting a possible pattern of coordinated criminal activity.
Although ATM bombings have decreased in recent years due to improved security and reduced cash usage, such incidents still occur. Many criminal groups from the Netherlands have shifted operations to countries like Germany, where cash transactions remain more common.
In a related case, a court in Frankfurt sentenced six men last year for carrying out multiple ATM attacks that resulted in more than €870,000 in stolen cash, highlighting the ongoing cross-border nature of this type of crime.