Northern Ireland

Two men charged over ATM thefts

Forensic officers at the scene of a ATM robbery at a garage at Nutts Corner in Co Antrim on Tuesday morning. Picture by Mal McCann
Forensic officers at the scene of a ATM robbery at a garage at Nutts Corner in Co Antrim on Tuesday morning. Picture by Mal McCann Forensic officers at the scene of a ATM robbery at a garage at Nutts Corner in Co Antrim on Tuesday morning. Picture by Mal McCann
By Claire Simpson

Two men aged 21 and 31 have been charged over recent ATM thefts.

The 21-year-old has been charged with a string of crimes, including arson and criminal damage, over the theft of a cash machine from a service station on Tully Road at Nutts Corner in Co Antrim on Tuesday morning.

The 31-year-old has been charged with crimes including theft, arson and taking a motor vehicle without authority over the theft of two ATMs from an Asda outlet on Ballymena Road in Co Antrim on February 1.

The pair are due to appear before Ballymena Magistrates' Court this morning.

So far this year, 15 cash machines have been stolen in 12 separate thefts.

READ MORE:

  • Two arrested after cash machine ripped from wall of Co Antrim service station
  • Stolen ATMs abandoned after police chase
  • Timeline of cash machine thefts
A digger was used to steal two cash machines at the Asda store in Antrim in February. Picture by Arthur Allison, Pacemaker
A digger was used to steal two cash machines at the Asda store in Antrim in February. Picture by Arthur Allison, Pacemaker A digger was used to steal two cash machines at the Asda store in Antrim in February. Picture by Arthur Allison, Pacemaker

A 31-year-old man has already appeared in court over the theft of an ATM from the service station at Nutts Corner.

Last week, a digger was used to rip two machines from the wall of a Tesco outlet in Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Several days before, two machines were stolen from another Tesco in Crumlin, Co Antrim.

Police recovered two ATMs after they were ripped from the wall of a Tesco outlet on Larne Link Road in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Pacemaker
Police recovered two ATMs after they were ripped from the wall of a Tesco outlet on Larne Link Road in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Pacemaker Police recovered two ATMs after they were ripped from the wall of a Tesco outlet on Larne Link Road in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Pacemaker

Thieves also made an unsuccessful attempt to steal an ATM from a Costcutter shop in Craigavon.

Earlier this month, a cash machine was ripped from the wall of a petrol station in Dungiven, Co Tyrone.

A specialist PSNI taskforce group has been set up to tackle the crisis but police have said it is difficult to keep track of every machine.

Police recovered two ATMs after they were stolen from a Tesco outlet in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Mal McCann
Police recovered two ATMs after they were stolen from a Tesco outlet in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Mal McCann Police recovered two ATMs after they were stolen from a Tesco outlet in Ballymena, Co Antrim, last week. Picture by Mal McCann