Police are appealing for information after a cash machine was stolen in Dungiven on Sunday, the eighth such robbery in Northern Ireland this year.
A digger believed to have been stolen from a construction site nearby was used to rip the ATM from the wall of a garage in Co Derry, leaving substantial damage to the building. In other similar robberies the digger has been set on fire, but in this case it was not.
CCTV footage shows three men in balaclavas attacking the shop in the early hours of Sunday morning. The men are seen lowering the stolen ATM into a roofless Citroën Berlingo van, which is then seen driving off with the cash machine protruding out of the top.
Police believe the series of thefts is linked to gang crime. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has set up a specialist team of detectives to investigate the thefts, the last of which took place on Wednesday in Castleblayney.
DI Richard Thornton, of the PSNI, said: “As in all of these ATM thefts, the actions of these criminals have not only caused immediate financial harm to the business targeted, but they have understandably caused fear in the community and impacted upon a vital service many local people rely on.
“We are doing all we can to catch the people responsible. It is a key priority for us. However, I want to reiterate that the key to stopping these crimes and getting ahead of these criminals is information from the public.”
He added: “We need people to report anything suspicious, including seeing any unusual activity or people in areas close to ATMs. For example, if you hear machinery late at night or in the early hours, please let us know. If you see any cars being driven in a suspicious manner close to where ATMs are located, please let us know.
“No matter how insignificant you think it is, call us and we will investigate. It could be key to catching the criminals responsible.”
