UK government, industry reps aim to stem surge in ATM explosive attacks

From ATMmarketplace.com

Executives from Newcastle, England-based ATM security company Lockpoint will meet this week with U.K. officials to discuss a persistent trend of gas attacks targeting ATMs across the country.

In recent months, the issue has been raised as a concern by MPs from both sides of the House of Commons, according to a company press release. Lockpoint said that it is working with industry partners to stem a nationwide surge of gas explosions and ram raids that now exceeds one a day.

Lockpoint will meet with MP Alan Campbell, Labour Deputy Chief Whip and a former member of the Commons Policing and Crime Bill Committee.

Campbell tabled four written questions to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd late last year, asking what discussions her department had had with police and members of the banking and security industries about the rising number of attacks on ATMs, particularly in the Greater Manchester, East Midlands and Bristol areas.

"I have noted with increasing concern the apparent rise in attacks on ATMs with both heavy machinery and explosive gas," Campbell said in the release. "The latter trend is particularly worrying as it may be only a matter of time before someone comes to significant harm."

Campbell also asked the Home Department what discussions had taken place with ATM security providers about the development of new technologies to defend against gas and other types of attack.

According to the release, the MP specifically asked whether the department would assess the Lockpoint Gryphon as a means of defense, the release said.

According to Lockpoint, U.K. grocery giant Tesco began to install the company's highly reinforced Gryphon device on the majority of its 3,000 ATMs in 2010 and has since seen a 64 percent reduction in ATM attacks, accompanied by a drop of 90 percent in cash losses.