North's ATM Gang Strikes Again

Yet another automated teller machine (ATM) has been ripped from a in the North by thieves using a digger.

Both Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kinahan and the Alliance South Antrim MLA David Ford have condemned the theft, after a cash machine in Templepatrick was removed in the early hours of Friday morning. Danny Kinahan said the loss of the cash machine would have "an enormous effect on the local community".

"It is on one of the busiest roads in Northern Ireland - it's extraordinary," he said.

"This robbery is another example of criminality within society – the brazenness of these thieves and this gang is unbelievable and is growing. To break into a cash machine with a huge piece of machinery isn't exactly a small task.

"This is not the first such incident across Northern Ireland and it raises serious questions about police resources in these areas.

"PSNI officers are too thinly stretched and although they responded within three and a half minutes, the thieves still managed to get away," he said.

"The PSNI need to have a plan as to how they respond to such incidents – this is the only way these people will be caught."

David Ford MLA said: "I am very concerned that this theft in Templepatrick follows another robbery in Kells last week.

"I understand that banks in England who experienced thefts like this a few years ago took steps to reinforce ATMs - it seems it is time that banks in NI did the same." he said this morning.

"I will be meeting the Antrim Police Commander and I will be raising this issue with him.

"I would urge anybody with any information about this or any of the other ATM thefts to contact the police. We must stop these thefts as the public are often the worst affected."

This latest robbery saw a filling station and large Spar supermarket badly damaged in an attack reported at about 3am on Friday.

The digger with a telescopic arm was abandoned at the scene. Police believe that the thieves made off with the ATM along the Lylehill Road.

Police appealed for anyone who had information about the incident or the red Manitou digger to contact them.

The theft is the latest in a series of such incidents with an estimated 18 ATM machines targeted since March. This is even though such ATMs are alarmed for immediate communication of an incident to a manned 24-hour monitoring station - and yet again - the police failed to intercept the thieves.

The question of police resources was raised last month with an Omagh District Policing Partnership member commenting after a similar ATM theft in Ballygawley about a 'serious lack' of community policing.

"The Chief Constable is telling us continually about the need for community policing, but talking is no use, we need the personnel on the ground, Cllr Alan Rainey said.

"These boys are laughing all the way to the bank that they have pulled off yet another one and left another community without this ATM facility," he said.

Meanwhile, a reward of £25,000 is being offered for anyone who can help catch the criminals targeting cash machines in Northern Ireland - however - a full ATM contains well over £100,000, which overshadows the money offered by Link, the operator of the UK's cash machine network.

See: PSNI Slammed After ATM Robbed

(BMcC/GK/KMcA)