"ATM Terror": Man accused of destroying 26 machines in two weeks
"We received a complaint from a bank branch manager in Tiberias regarding the destruction of 6 ATMs. Our investigation revealed that the defendant, a resident of Samaria, also destroyed machines in Afula, Kfar Saba, and Hod HaSharon." Police state the motive remains unclear. The estimated damage is 1.5 million shekels; his lawyer cited "complex life circumstances."
The Amakim District Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment on Tuesday at the Nazareth Magistrate's Court against a 40-year-old resident of Samaria for the destruction of 26 ATMs over a two-week period, with damages estimated at 1.5 million shekels. He is charged with multiple counts of property damage.
Captain Adham Zuabi, the investigation officer at the Tiberias police who led the case, stated:
"On August 3, the police received the first complaint from the manager of a Bank Leumi branch in Tiberias. She reported that upon arriving at work in the morning, she discovered that the six ATMs in the branch had been smashed and destroyed."
Captain Zuabi added that police retrieved 24-hour security footage showing the suspect arriving at the branch at 4:22 AM, armed with a stone, and attacking the machines. Shortly thereafter, reports emerged regarding damage to Bank Hapoalim ATMs in the same city.
"We began checking the system for similar incidents," Zuabi said. "Simultaneously, we received a report from the Bank Leumi security officer regarding heavy damage to Bank Discount ATMs in Afula. During the investigation, we discovered that seven ATMs were also destroyed at a Bank Hapoalim branch in Kfar Saba. As the investigation progressed, we found that the first incident attributed to the defendant occurred on July 19, when he allegedly destroyed two ATMs at a First International Bank branch in Hod HaSharon."
Hours after the Tiberias incident on August 3, police located and arrested the defendant near the scene.
"He was identified from the footage we extracted from the cameras," Captain Zuabi described. "He was brought in for questioning and confessed to the acts in four locations. This was a serial operation that caused significant damage to the banks and to customers unable to use the machines. When asked for an explanation, he remained silent. We have requested detention until the end of the proceedings due to the danger he poses."
Attorney Jamal Zangaria, representing the defendant on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, stated: "This is a defendant with complex life circumstances; the indictment was filed yesterday, and we will respond in court."
