Explosive attacks on ATMs were up 80 per cent in the first six months of 2016, according to the European ATM Crime Report from EAST.

A total of 492 explosive attacks were reported in the first half of 2016, up from 273 during the same period in 2015. While the majority were explosive gas attacks, 110 were solid explosive attacks.

Overall, ATM-related physical attacks rose 30 per cent when compared with H1 2015, while losses due to physical attacks were up three per cent to €27 million. EAST also reported a 28 per cent increase in ATM-related fraud attacks, rising to 10,820 in H1 2016. The rise was driven mainly by a 281 per cent increasing in transaction reversal fraud.

The number of logical ATM attacks, where electronic devices are used to gain access to ATM computer systems or components with the purpose of obtaining cash or other sensitive data, numbered 28 in the first half of the year – up from just five during the same period in 2015.

Lachlan Gunn, executive director of EAST, commented: “This rise in explosive attacks is of great concern to the industry in Europe as such attacks create a significant amount of collateral damage to equipment and buildings as well as a risk to life.

“The EAST Expert Group on Physical Attacks (EGAP) is working to analyse the attacks and to share intelligence best practice information across the industry and law enforcement that can help to mitigate the threat.”

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