Athens police bust prolific ATM theft racket
Police were on Tuesday questioning eight suspected members of a prolific ATM theft racket believed to have netted more than 300,000 euros in eight months of operation.
The suspects – three Greeks and five Albanian men aged 20 to 36 – have been linked to more than 50 hits on cash machines in Attica, Thessaloniki, Fthiotida and Evia.
The ringleader is believed to be a 23-year-old Moldovan man who regularly fled abroad after the most lucrative raids.
According to police sources, the robbers used a simple technique to access the ATMs.
They used a sharp implement to pry open the cash dispenser, then a tube to channel gas into the machine which they ignited to cause an explosion.
