In order to obtain information on ATM blasts from the public at an early stage, the NRW police have set up an online portal that makes it easy for citizens to submit cell phone images and videos. It is not uncommon for residents to reach for their smartphones and take pictures when they are woken from their sleep by a night-time blast and witness such an act.
Those who make their recordings available can help the police very quickly in the search for the perpetrators and the vehicles they used, the investigations and the identification of suspects. The tip-off portal makes it possible for the files to be transmitted quickly and easily.
"Time is a decisive factor in the search for ATM burglars," says Herbert Reul, Interior Minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. "Uploading to the cloud works directly via cell phone or PC. This means that the effort for witnesses who want to make their recordings available is extremely low."
Citizens who go to https://nrw.hinweisportal.de/en to access the reporting portal can make an important contribution in just a few steps. The form explains exactly what needs to be entered or clicked on, and a button can also be used to upload the files. The tips can also be submitted anonymously. The North Rhine-Westphalian police can access this evidence immediately.
In NRW, there were already over 100 cases of ATM explosions in 2022, some of which caused considerable damage to property.
"We are hoping for many tips from the public that will help us to catch the unscrupulous perpetrators even more often and faster," says the Minister of the Interior. Together with his colleagues from the NRW police, however, he expressly points out that nobody should put themselves in danger, but should always dial 110 first if in doubt.