ABN AMRO target of thuds
- Detecting Financial Crime
Brigitte Seegers
Public Affairs and Manager International Communications
ABN AMRO is currently dealing with the consequences of thuds at some locations. For example, during the weekend of 11 and 12 May, criminals were targeting ATMs from ABN AMRO in Hazerswoude-Dorp and Almelo
ABN AMRO takes this form of crime very seriously. The bank invests to prevent the plundering by taking preventive measures to prevent the plundering attacks. In cooperation with the police, ABN AMRO provides its ATMs with the Live View system, a video and detection system that ensures that the police can watch live if, for example, a thud or ram crack is committed. Live View increases the chance of being caught by criminals.
In the event of a thud, criminals try to crack the safe of the ATMs by means of a (gas) explosion and ram the location with a vehicle. This type of attack causes a lot of damage to buildings and machines, while often little or no money is taken. The thuds are often committed at night and occur at all banks in the Netherlands, but at the moment mainly at ABN AMRO. The bank has no demonstrable explanation for this. In other forms of crime, such as phishing and skimming, criminals moved their activities from bank to bank. Possibly that is now also the case.
ABN AMRO has more than 1,700 cash machines throughout the Netherlands. In 2012, the joint banks in the Netherlands were confronted with 127 thuds and 4 ram raids.