Polish authorities have arrested two Belarusian nationals who stole money from ATMs by connecting electronic devices to the machines and remotely forcing them to release all their cash. Europol and law enforcement authorities from Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Slovakia took part in the investigation.
The two suspects committed dozens of ATM robberies in over 7 European countries and managed to steal over €230,000 ($272,926) in cash. They kept targeting the same ATM brand and model. The criminals accessed the ATM wires by drilling holes or fusing parts to physically link the machine with a laptop. They then used the laptop to send remote relay commands that forced the connected machine to release all its cash.
Europol played an important role in this investigation. It helped bring together the national investigators on both sides. It also supported field investigators through intelligence development and analysis. The authority has also been working with the targeted ATM manufacturer.
Source: Europol