ATM blasting in Tyrol: Investigations run after nightly attack!

ATM blasting in Tyrol: Investigations run after nightly attack!

In the night of Wednesday, May 21, 2025, unknown perpetrators blew up an Author in Reith in the Alpbach valley, Kufstein. The explosion occurred in a bank at 3:39 a.m. The State Police Directorate Tyrol has immediately initiated search measures according to the fleeting perpetrators, and further investigations are already underway. This incident is part of a worrying trend, since the number of ATM in Austria has increased considerably in recent years. As early as mid-April 2023, 17 attacks were counted, while in 2022 only 13 incidents were recorded OE24. .

The recent incidents in Wels at the end of April and Salzburg in early May showed that the perpetrators often escape cash. An alarming pattern is emerging: The Federal Criminal Police officers have found that the perpetrators usually work in groups and very professionally. They are particularly active in Vienna and Lower Austria. These groups also seem to act internationally, which makes the investigation considerably more difficult and fuels the crime Kurier .

increasing threat from organized crime

Investigators assume that at least five to six different groups will be behind the ATM boards in Austria. These groups differ in their methods, which indicates a high variance in criminal activities. Recent information suggests that new perpetrators, including professionally structured gangs from the Netherlands, may also be active. In Vienna, at least three of these perpetrators are active, which the problem continues to complicate vienna.at .

From the beginning of the year so far, explosions have already been registered at twelve different crime scenes, including Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland, Salzburg and Upper Austria. The problem has been particularly pronounced since the beginning of 2025, with 14 explosions until the beginning of March KURIER .

reactions and security measures

In response to this increasing crime, the Federal Criminal Police Office launched the "SOKO ATM" in order to coordinate the investigation across borders. Security measures are now to be reinforced in order to make ATM blasts more difficult. The planned new measures include innovative color systems that make banknotes unusable, as well as the use of artificial intelligence, which is intended to suspect and raise the alarm as soon as irregularities are recognized. These efforts aim to incorporate a Europe-wide phenomenon of the ADMATOMATH outlines Kurier further explained .

The banks have already reacted by taking some ATMs out of operation and making safety -related changes in their foyers. For example, the Bawag foyers are closed between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. These measures are intended to help prevent the many ATM and increase security for your customers as reports .