Gardaí insist they responded immediately when they were alerted to two ATMs being stolen in Kells Co. Meath, despite homemade spikes being used by a gang to delay their response.
A stolen digger was used to rip the machines from two banks on the main street of the town in the early hours of the morning.
It has since emerged that the perpetrators of the robbery placed spikes outside Kells Garda Station and a tractor and trailer were used to block access to the banks.
Two similar robberies of cash machines were carried out in Antrim and Armagh overnight, bringing to 18 the number of ATM raids on both sides of the border so far this year.
At a press briefing Supt O’Connor said: “This morning at 4.20am Gardai received a call in relation to the theft of ATMs in progress here at John Street in Kells. Gardai responded immediately, arriving at the scene within minutes. On their arrival they found that two ATMs had been ripped from bank premises on John Street and they established that those involved had left the scene in two vehicles.
“They also found an excavator at John Street, and also a JCB fastrac tractor with trailer attached,” Supt O’Connor said.
“Our inquiries so far have established that the excavator was stolen overnight from a field in Co Meath and the fastrac tractor and trailer were also stolen overnight from the Louth area. Those involved left the scene in a dark colour crewcab jeep and also a dark colored Volkswagen car.
“A full investigation is underway, a technical examination has taken place and an incident room has been set up at Kells garda station.”
Supt O’Connor also appealed for anyone with information on the robbery or the movements of the stolen ATM and machinery to contact gardai.
