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Dutch banks to close outdoor ATMs at night to combat explosive attacks

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December 18, 2019

The Netherlands has had an ongoing problem with gangs blowing up ATMs with volatile explosives that cause extensive collateral damage and put human lives at risk.

In their latest bid to control the problem, Dutch banks are taking all of their outdoor ATMs out of service between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., according to a report in DutchNews.nl Monday. 

One of the ways thieves try to blow up the machines is to place explosives in the money drawer, which opens after cash has been pinned. The measure, put forth by justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus, finance minister Wopke Hoekstra and the Dutch banking association, will be reassessed early next year, the report said.

Some banks are removing ATMs all together. Earlier this month, Dutch bank ABN Amro temporarily shut down and emptied 479 ATMs — more than half of its ATM fleet in the Netherlands — due to a sharp rise in violent ATM explosive attacks.