Appeal for information over spike in ATM thefts

The PSNI’s Organised Crime Branch has allocated a team of detectives to investigate ATM thefts and are appealing to the public for information following an increase in thefts of ATMs across Northern Ireland.
There have been several incidents in Tyrone.
Police say there has been an upsurge in the number of ATM machines ripped from the walls of commercial premises using plant machinery which, more often than not, has been stolen from a nearby farm or building site and then destroyed after each incident.
The attacks tend to occur more frequently, but not exclusively, in rural areas.
There have been seven attacks in the last four months, most of them in Tyrone.
In particular, police are urging to machinery owners to take steps to try and prevent thefts, including
immobilising stored vehicles and if practical move machinery from fields when not in use especially if near a road.
Never leave keys in machinery and ensure there are storage areas for all machinery left on site overnight.
Consider fitting tracking devices to valuable vehicles and deter would be thieves by displaying security signs on site to highlight measures in place such as CCTV.