FRANKFURT, GERMANY: Authorities said that as part of a crackdown on gangs suspected of blowing up ATM machines and stealing cash, German police have detained 42 suspects.
Such incidents, which usually happen at night, have become common in Germany in recent years.
In 2022, there were a record 496 ATM robberies last year, a 27 percent increase over 2021 the Interior Ministry said, adding that over the past three days, police in seven of Germany's 16 states conducted searches of more than 5,300 vehicles and 8,000 people, with 42 people being detained.
"Anyone who blows up cash machines risks the life of people who are not involved," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, adding that further incidents can only be prevented by implementing effective and wide-ranging measures, such as increased video surveillance.
26 
