Two Dutch people convicted for 6 robberies with explosives in Germany

Two Dutchmen have been sentenced in Germany to years in prison for a series of explosive attacks. A 36-year-old Dutch man will go to jail for 7.5 years, while his accomplice, a 29-year-old man, has been sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison. The court in Osnabrück fully agreed with the demand of the German Public Prosecution Service, the German broadcaster NDR reports.

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the two were involved in the preparations of a total of six crimes in various German states. The younger man bought explosives, while the older of the two arranged getaway cars.

Because the 36-year-old Dutch man already had a criminal record and was wearing an ankle bracelet at the time of the crimes, he received a heavier sentence, according to the German newspaper. Another factor was that in one of the explosions, a fire broke out in an apartment complex above an ATM, after which several residents had to be rescued by the fire brigade.

According to the court, the two are part of a Dutch criminal gang that blows up ATMs. The crimes for which the two were convicted took place between February and November 2020. Amounts of up to more than 100,000 euros were allegedly stolen and the suspects received 200 to 300 euros per bomb, writes the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. It is not clear who their clients are.

Europol reported last month that the number of ATM attacks in European countries such as Germany is on the rise. Well-organized criminal gangs have specialized in this type of bombing and often operate internationally, the organization said.