ATM Explosive Attacks Surge In Europe Is Trend Coming To US?

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- According to the European ATM Security Team, explosive attacks on ATMs are up about 80% this year. The conclusion by the trade group's newly released European ATM Crime Report covers the first six months of 2016 in which there were 492 reported explosive attacks, compared with 273 for the same period in 2015.

"This rise in explosive attacks is of great concern to the industry in Europe. Such attacks create a significant amount of collateral damage to equipment and buildings, as well as a risk to life," said EAST's executive director Lachlan Gunn. He added that EAST's physical attacks group is studying the incidents and will share its intelligence with the ATM industry and law enforcement in an effort to mitigate the threat.

Explosive attacks on ATMs may be part of a larger trend that has seen overall physical attacks in Europe rise 30%, more than 1,600 total, over the past year. EAST also reported a 28% increase in ATM related fraud attacks, including the use of so-called "skimmer" devices, up from 8,421 in 2015 to 10,820 in 2016.

Although explosive attacks against ATMs are relatively rare in the U.S., there has been an increase in "crash and grab" attacks in which a stolen vehicle is driven through a window or wall of a location to get to the ATM. There has also been a marked increase in the use of skimmers that capture data from customers' debit or credit cards. Whether ATM thieves will add explosives to their felonious arsenal in the U.S. has yet to be determined.

EAST is a European trade organization and information clearinghouse representing countries within the Single Euro Payments Area. National membership is restricted to one organization per country and each member acts as a contact point between EAST and the ATM industry in their country.