It's a significant and worrying trend that's returned
In the early hours of a March morning in Kells, Co Antrim, two young men were arrested near a targeted cash machine — the seventh such incident since late February in a spreading wave of ATM raids across Northern Ireland's four counties. What emerges is not merely a crime story but a familiar human cycle: vulnerability invites opportunism, and communities must again reckon with the fragility of the ordinary infrastructure they depend upon. Retail leaders, recalling a near-identical wave in 2019, are urging vigilance while police trace the contours of what may be a coordinated pattern.
- Seven ATM raids in under two weeks have rattled businesses across Antrim, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone, with one heist netting thieves approximately £94,000.
- Filling stations and small retailers — exposed, cash-holding, and open through the night — have become the preferred targets, their forecourt machines presenting what one retail leader calls an obvious vulnerability.
- Police arrested two men aged 24 and 28 in Kells hours after an alarm triggered, tracking them to a nearby address, though investigators have yet to formally link the separate incidents to one another.
- Retail NI's chief warns the pattern mirrors a damaging 2019 wave, describing perpetrators as opportunistic amateurs emboldened by slow night-time response times and accessible machine placements.
- Business owners are implementing precautionary measures and bracing for escalation, while the PSNI appeals to the public for information as the investigation widens.
Two men were arrested in the early hours of Friday morning after police responded to an alarm at a cash machine on Main Street in Kells, Co Antrim. The suspects, aged 24 and 28, were detained on suspicion of attempted theft close to the machine itself, with officers later tracing their movements to a house on Fernisky Road. Both remained in custody as the PSNI appealed to the public for information.
The Kells arrest is the seventh such incident since late February, part of a widening pattern of ATM raids alarming Northern Ireland's retail sector. The previous morning, an attempted theft at a filling station in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, saw a door forced and an alarm triggered around 2am. Police do not yet believe the two incidents are connected, though the timing, method, and targets suggest something more than isolated opportunism.
The geography of the attacks spans four counties. In Toome, an attempt was investigated. Near Portadown, a forecourt machine was successfully raided. At Cabragh, close to Dungannon, thieves made off with around £94,000. In Dungiven, masked men removed an entire ATM through a forced side door, and a machine in Articlave was damaged and emptied.
Glyn Roberts of Retail NI described the trend as significant and worrying, recalling a similar wave several years ago when raids occurred one or two times a week. He believes most perpetrators are opportunistic amateurs targeting businesses at night when response times are slower. Filling stations and small retailers, with cash machines positioned in exposed forecourts, present an obvious vulnerability — and the business community is bracing for what could become a sustained campaign if the pattern continues unchecked.
Two men were arrested in the early hours of Friday morning after police responded to an alarm at a cash machine on Main Street in Kells, Co Antrim. The men, aged 24 and 28, were detained on suspicion of attempted theft just a short distance from the machine itself. Officers later tracked their movements to a house on Fernisky Road. Both remained in custody as the PSNI appealed for information from the public, asking anyone with details to call 101 and reference the incident number.
This arrest marks the seventh such attempt since late February, part of a widening pattern of ATM raids that has begun to alarm the retail sector across Northern Ireland. The previous evening, Thursday morning, saw another attempted theft at a filling station in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, where the door had been forced and an alarm triggered around 2am. Police do not yet believe the two incidents are connected, though the similarities—the timing, the method, the target—suggest a coordinated wave rather than isolated opportunism.
The geography of the attacks tells its own story. Since the last week of February, attempted and successful thefts have been reported across four counties: Antrim, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone. In Toome, Co Antrim, an attempt was investigated. Near Portadown, a substantial sum was taken from a forecourt machine. At Cabragh, close to Dungannon, thieves made off with approximately £94,000—a haul large enough to suggest either luck or planning. In Dungiven, Co Londonderry, masked men forced their way through a side door and removed an entire ATM from a filling station. Another machine in Articlave, also in Londonderry, was damaged and emptied.
Retail leaders are watching this escalation with genuine concern. Glyn Roberts, chief of Retail NI, described the trend as significant and worrying, noting that his organization is in constant contact with police about security measures. He recalled a similar period a few years ago when such raids occurred one or two times a week. That wave has returned. Roberts believes most of the perpetrators are opportunistic amateurs rather than sophisticated criminals—people taking chances at night when businesses are closed and response times are slower.
The fear among business owners is palpable. Filling stations and small retailers have become targets because they hold cash and operate through the night. The machines themselves, often positioned in exposed forecourts or accessible side entrances, present an obvious vulnerability. Police are investigating whether the incidents are linked, though no formal connection has been established between the Fermanagh attempt and the Antrim arrest. What remains clear is that the pattern has returned to haunt the region, and retailers are bracing for what could become a sustained campaign if the trend continues unchecked.
Citações Notáveis
It's a significant and worrying trend. We went through a period a few years ago when there was one or two a week, now it's gone up again.— Glyn Roberts, Retail NI chief
The perpetrators are mainly just have-a-go amateurs who prey on businesses at night.— Glyn Roberts, Retail NI chief
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why are these raids happening now, after a quieter period? What's changed?
That's the question police are trying to answer. Roberts thinks they're mostly amateurs testing the waters—seeing what works, what doesn't. Once one succeeds, word spreads. The £94,000 hit in Dungannon probably didn't help matters.
Are police treating them as organized, or separate incidents?
Officially, they're not linked yet. But the timing and method—early morning, forced entry, targeting filling stations—it's hard to ignore the pattern. Police are investigating, but they're being cautious about jumping to conclusions.
What makes a filling station ATM such an easy target?
They're exposed. Often in forecourts with limited lighting, accessible from multiple angles, and the businesses themselves are closed at 2am. A determined person with basic tools can force an entry. The machines aren't always as secure as they should be.
Is this about desperation, or profit?
Roberts thinks desperation. He calls them have-a-go amateurs. But £94,000 is real money. Whether that's one lucky hit or evidence of planning, nobody's saying yet.
What are retailers actually doing about it?
Talking to police constantly about precautions. Installing better lighting, reinforcing doors, maybe relocating machines to safer spots. But there's only so much a small business can do when someone's determined to break in at 2am.