From left to right: Dr. Alexander Retemeyer (Spokesman of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Europol), Michael Maßmann (Chief of Police of the Osnabrück Police Directorate), Daniela Behrens (Minister of the Interior and Sport of Lower Saxony), Dr. Kathrin Wahlmann (Minister of Justice of Lower Saxony), Jens Liedhegener (Europol) [Source: Osnabrück Police].
Combating Attacks on ATM
Attacks on ATMs have been a challenging area of police work for years, which has affected various EU countries, including Germany. The use of self-made solid explosives and the associated explosions pose a significant risk to residents, emergency services and third parties. A particular challenge in this field of crime is the high mobility of the offenders and the crossing of national borders. The fight against internationally operating, organised gangs therefore requires close cooperation between the different states, first and foremost in Europe.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is of great importance in this area of crime as one of the central countries of origin of professionally organised groups of offenders. As a result, operational situations regularly occur on the German-Dutch border, but also on the borders between the Netherlands and Belgium.
Our goals in the fight against Attacks on ATM
The aim of this sub-project, led by the Osnabrueck Police Department, is to build and sustainably establish a strong international network of police, judiciary, other state authorities and the private sector within the three-year project period.
The following targeted measures are planned as part of the sub-project:
- Acquisition of the latest technical equipment in order to be able to adequately react to and counteract new modus operandi of the offenders,
- Carrying out conferences, meetings and working meetings for different police departments to strengthen joint police and judicial measures,
- Design and implement a prevention concept.
In addition, an intensification of the cross-border networking of all security institutions involved should lead to further investigative and tracing successes in the fight against Attacks on ATM.