In Aschbach-Markt, located in Lower Austria, an ATM was blown up in the early hours of Friday, November 28. According to police spokesman Stefan Loidl, investigators believe two suspects were involved. They fled the scene on a scooter without taking any money. The Lower Austrian State Criminal Police Office has launched an investigation.
Despite dozens of members of the Dutch ‘Plofkraker’ gang–most of them of Moroccan origin–being arrested across Europe, the criminal organization continues to operate in Austria. According to authorities, the group is still carrying out attacks using motor scooters, striking at least once nearly every month.
Joint raids by Dutch and Austrian police at 12 locations in both countries have already yielded 16 scooters, more than 50 mobile phones, nearly half a kilogram of explosives, various drugs, and €39,000 in cash.
Although the group is active in Austria, similar attacks have occurred in Germany as well. Between 2022 and 2023, more than 800 ATM bombings were recorded there. German authorities are now pushing for tougher penalties for the use of explosives in such crimes.
As a result, the Austrian case is not considered an isolated incident; more than 20 similar attacks have already taken place in the country this year. One of the most serious cases occurred in April, when a Dutch robbery crew blew up several ATMs at a Bank Austria branch on Vorgartenstrasse in Vienna’s second district. During the escape attempt, officers opened fire on the perpetrators.
Regarding these incidents, the Director of the Criminal Intelligence Service of Austria, Andreas Holzer, previously stated that a “well-functioning criminal organization” is behind the suspects. According to the official, the network likely includes several hundred potential perpetrators who can strike at any time. He added that the threats are not limited to burglaries but also involve the deliberate use of explosives to endanger public safety.
Roman Markowetz, officer of Austria’s Criminal Intelligence Service said back in February:
These are traveling, professional groups … It supposedly started with some people of Moroccan origin from the city of Utrecht, but now we’re talking about people who were born and raised in the Netherlands.
Stricter security measures are now planned in Austria. In addition to increasing police presence around banks, new fogging systems and updated dye-staining mechanisms are expected to be installed in branches. According to the Chamber of Commerce, surveillance systems should also be equipped with artificial intelligence programs capable of triggering communication with security authorities or initiating obfuscation measures in the event of suspicious activity.
