Investigators Pursue Trail of ATM Bombers
On Sunday, Austrian investigators issued a public appeal for witnesses as they intensify their hunt for a group of suspected ATM bombers. Detectives are asking landlords who rented out apartments earlier this year — particularly in February — to Dutch guests who sought anonymity and unusual rental conditions to come forward, according to ORF.
Police said the guests in question often insisted on contactless check-ins, requesting key safes or digital entry codes rather than face-to-face handovers. They also appeared to favor accommodations where they could stay alone, without interaction with hosts or other tenants.
“These requests stood out,” one investigator noted, emphasizing that detectives are trying to map the movements of suspects believed to have crossed into Austria from the Netherlands.
Authorities stressed that the appeal is not linked to recent arrests in Hofkirchen im Traunkreis, a town in Upper Austria where police detained suspects after a violent ATM explosion. The current call for information is part of a broader effort to trace the network and methods of the gangs behind a string of destructive bank machine bombings across the region.
The Landeskriminalamt, Austria’s state criminal police office, is handling the case and has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. Officials added that tips will be treated in confidence if requested.
Residents who believe they may have rented to the individuals in question — or noticed suspicious activity involving short-term lets — are encouraged to contact investigators. Information can be submitted by email at lpd-o-lka-diebstahl@polizei.gv.at or by calling 059133-40-3388.
The call reflects growing concern across Austria and neighboring countries over organized gangs targeting ATMs with explosives, a method that has caused both financial losses and severe property damage in recent years. Investigators hope that landlords’ recollections, however small, may prove crucial in piecing together the movements of the suspects.
