Police remaining on high alert across Derry to catch ATM thieves
Two men were arrested in Crumlin, Co Antrim in the early hours of Tuesday morning after digging out an ATM machine from a petrol station on the Tully Road.
One was arrested at the scene and a second was detained a few miles away at a house after dumping a landrover vehicle with the ATM laden in the back.
A 31-year-old man has been charged with theft and other offences and is due in Ballymena Magistrates’ Court this morning for a first remand hearing.
Last month, an ATM mwchine was ripped from the wall of O’Kane’s filling station on Feeney Road outside Dungiven.
This year alone there have been 14 incidents involving 15 ATM machines across the North of Ireland.
A special detective task force has been set up to catch the gangs involved.
The PSNI say on its Facebook: “As you’re all aware two were arrested during an ATM theft.
“A major part of that was observant people getting on the phone to Police straight away.
“Over the last number of weeks you guys & girls across our patch have been fantastic in contacting us day and night alerting us to things that don’t seem quite right or seem suspicious.
Daylight shows the extent of the damage to O’Kane’s filling station on Feeny Road on Sunday, April 7 this year
“Now, it would be easy to fall into the trap of everyone dropping their guard because of these arrests.
“The temptation is to think ‘Well that’s the end of it’.
“Far from it. There are a number of gangs involved in these thefts.
“We aren’t reducing the additional patrols and crews and we would ask that you also stay alert and call us if you see anything that doesn’t seem right.
“Don’t hesitate to hit the three nine’s if its an emergency.”
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