A detective recalls the hunt by his dedicated task force for the gang behind a spate of shocking ATM heists that shook towns and villages in County Antrim.
In October 2018, a sleepy village in County Antrim was rocked when, in the dead of night, a gang arrived with a stolen digger and ripped an ATM from the walls of the local newsagent.
Police were quickly at the scene, where they soon discovered that the gang was highly skilled and had left minimal evidence. But this was only the first in a string of ATM heists by the gang; they continued their work across the county.
As the attacks escalated, specialist detective superintendent Richard Thornton from the Organised Crime Division was appointed to lead the response. He assembled a dedicated team to tackle the sophisticated criminals.
Richard recalls how he and his team spent weeks meticulously analysing the gang's methods to predict their next move and with the help of experts in surveillance, sought to put an end to the relentless attacks.
Chief superintendent Sue-Ann Steen provides insight into her leadership of the uniformed officers who patrolled the affected communities. Business owner Geoffery McKillop offers a personal of the damage caused to his cafe during one of the gang’s audacious attacks.
