News

Heavy equipment still popular tool for ATM break-ins in Japan

August 18, 2003

TOKYO -- More than 60 million yen (about $501,000 U.S.) was stolen from an ATM at a supermarket parking lot in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, on Aug. 16, according to a report in the Daily Yomiuri.

According to the police, the security alarm of the Chiba Bank ATM, located in a parking lot owned by the Inageya supermarket chain, went off at about 2:30 a.m. The security company that monitored the alarm alerted the police. Upon arriving at the scene, a police officer found that the ATM's housing had been destroyed and the ATM's safe had been ripped out.

A power shovel and several 10,000 yen (about $83 U.S.) bills were found nearby, police said.

The ATM had contained about 66 million yen ($552,000 U.S.) in cash.

In 2002, more than 50 Japanese ATMs were ripped out by thieves using construction equipment, causing 326 million yen ($2.7 million U.S.) in damage.

After meeting with organizations such as the Japanese Bankers Association and the Japan Vendor Machine Manufacturers Association in late 2002, Japan's National Police Agency (NPA) has been considering revising its standards for crime prevention measures at ATMs run by financial institutions. (See related story Japan reviewing security in wake of ATM thefts)

Some Japanese banks have begun using security measures such as steel girders installed around ATMs and alarm systems that will go off for 10 hours if triggered in an attempt to thwart thieves using construction equipment to break into ATMs. (See related stories Japanese banks try noise, light to deter ATM thieves and Japanese bank girds itself against ATM theft)