ATM in Bernkastel-Kues blown up-perpetrators on the run!

ATM in Bernkastel-Kues blown up-perpetrators on the run!

In the night of February 6, 2025, a suspected crime occurred in Bernkastel-Kues on the Moselle when an unknown perpetrator blew up an ATM. The machine was set up in the tourist information, and it was not only material but also building damage. It is currently being checked whether the perpetrators have captured money. Fortunately, there were no injuries in this act in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district. The police investigation is already in full swing.

On Monday before, there was also an incident in Weitefeld (Altenkirchen district), where an ATM was pried up in a bank branch. These incidents fit into the current statistics, which shows that in 2023 a total of 461 attempted and completed ATM blasts were registered. This corresponds to a decline of 7.1 percent compared to 2022. Nevertheless, the threat of such crimes remained high, according to BKA increased and encompasses threats and assault.

Investigations and cross -cases trends

A total of 1117 crimes were registered in the area of responsibility of the Bernkastel-Kues police inspection in 2022. This represents a significant increase in 217 cases compared to the previous year. The number of cases is therefore at the level of the years before pandemic. Special priorities of criminal activities were on raw criminal offenses that have increased by 81 cases to 242.

A striking trend is also evident in the area of asset and counterfeiting, which, with 184 cases, also required the police's attention. The increase in raw crimes is often associated with excessive alcohol consumption and public gatherings.

overall development of crime

In the context of the ATM blasts, it should be noted that in 2023 the prey amount for these crimes decreased to 28.4 million euros, which corresponds to a decrease of 5.4 percent compared to 2022. In 276 cases, the perpetrators got cash, which illustrates the urgency to combat these crimes. This topic is part of a comprehensive approach that includes prevention measures such as night closures of ATMs and reductions in cash.

The police determined a total of 201 suspects in 2023, which represents an increase of 57 percent compared to the previous year. The majority of the suspects had his place of residence abroad, whereby people from the Netherlands were often in focus. The cooperation between the law enforcement agencies, as also described by Current4U , shows the first success in combating this type of crime.

Developments in Bernkastel-Kues reflect a bigger problem that concerns municipalities and police throughout Germany. The discussion about security and prevention will continue, especially with regard to the increasing willingness to violence and the innovative stitches of the perpetrators.