Criminals continue to detonate Swiss ATMs

Cash remains a popular means of payment in Switzerland. Keystone / Donald Stampfli

A spate of explosive attacks on Swiss ATMs shows no sign of abating, with two cash machines being targeted in the last few days.

Criminals have used explosives or gas to blast open 38 of Switzerland’s 7,000 ATMs so far this year. In 2021, 49 such attacks were recorded, 45 in 2020 and 56 the previous year.

Police believe the attacks are being carried out largely by gangs from abroad. Unlike other European countries, demand for cash remains high in wealthy Switzerland.

The latest attack on Thursday caused extensive damage to the building in which the cash machine was located in the central canton of Lucerne.

Two days previously, thieves launched an explosive night raid on an ATM in a shopping centre in the French-speaking canton of Valais.

The attacks have made headlines in the Swiss media in recent years and show no signs of abating despite some successes by law enforcement officers.

Last month, a Dutch national was charged with going equipped to blow up ATMs when his car was stopped and searched on the border with Germany.

In December 2021, a Romanian was sentenced to 74 months in prison for carrying out such attacks.