The Neuchâtel Cantonal Bank (BCN) has taken some of its ATMs out of operation until further notice. The affected locations in the canton are Les Verrières, Les Ponts-de-Martel, Couvet, and Les Eplatures Est in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The ATMs are being emptied and shut down, the bank announced in a statement on Monday.

This action was in response to the bombing of its ATM in La Brévine, NE, on Monday night. This is another escalation step, after the bank had already taken measures such as significantly reducing the amount of cash in the machines.

Crime scene in La Brévine (Image: Police neuchâteloise)

One Injured

The explosion in La Brévine caused significant damage, and a young man living near the bank branch was injured. He suffered severe shock and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, as reported by the Neuchâtel Cantonal Police on Monday. The perpetrators fled without any loot.

The Jura Cantonal Bank had already shut down several ATMs, and the Migros Bank has restricted the hours of accessibility for their ATMs at certain locations.

Record ATM Bombings in 2022

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of such attacks on ATMs. These incidents often result in significant damage, not only to the ATMs themselves but also to the buildings where they are located.

In May alone, seven ATMs were bombed in Switzerland. According to the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol), there was a record number of attacks in 2022, with around 30 attacks involving gas and explosives recorded. The previous year saw 23 cases. Attempts to break open or rip out the ATMs were counted at 26 and nine respectively in these past two years.

The targets of these attacks, often carried out by organized gangs, are mainly standalone ATMs and remote locations. Fedpol suspects that most attacks involving explosives are carried out by perpetrators from Romania and the Netherlands. Gas explosions are primarily attributed to Serbian and Romanian groups.

Expert Group to Find «Best Practices»

The issue has even reached the Federal Council. In response to a postulate by FDP National Councilor Olivier Feller, the government referred to expert meetings between authorities and bank representatives. The aim is to coordinate measures nationwide. This involves developing common, concrete «best practices» that can be quickly implemented and adapted to Swiss conditions and the location of each ATM.

Fedpol points to strategies used in the Netherlands, where the number of ATM attacks has been minimized thanks to close cooperation between bank associations and law enforcement agencies.

Countermeasures include reducing cash reserves and using «dye-packs» or «glue-packs,» which render the banknotes unusable during an attack. However, such equipped ATMs are not yet widespread in Switzerland, and retrofitting is expensive.

Shift Due to Law Enforcement Pressure

Increased pressure from law enforcement in the Netherlands has led organized gangs to focus more on Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland in recent years.

According to figures from the Swiss National Bank (SNB), there are currently 6,120 ATMs in Switzerland, down from around 7,200 in 2020.