Three Dutchmen arrested after ATM explosion in Germany

Three men from the Netherlands tried to blow up an ATM in Germany on Thursday night. However, the planned robbery failed, and eventually police managed to arrest them after a long chase. German police said Friday evening that the suspects were between 20 and 32 years old.

The three Dutchmen detonated explosive devices at an ATM near a campsite in the municipality of Wietzendorf, between Hamburg and Hanover. However, the ATM remained undamaged despite the explosion, so the perpetrators had to flee empty-handed.

After the explosion, German officers saw a suspicious car driving at high speed towards the border with the Netherlands. The flight ended near the village of Thuine, almost 200 kilometers from Wietzendorf and just across the border near Enschede.

The police there placed a "stop stick" on the road, puncturing the tires. All four tires of the car were damaged as a result and the occupants were unable to continue driving and surrendered. Furthermore, explosives were found in the car.

Many explosive attacks have been committed in Germany in recent years, often perpetrated by so-called plofkrakers, which are organized gangs from major Dutch cities, trying to open ATMs through explosive attacks.

After the explosion, they usually flee in fast vehicles. To avoid falling into the hands of the police, the plofkrakers sometimes take many risks. As a result, several people have already died.