Northern Ireland

ATM provider withdraws Carrickmore service after spate of thefts

An ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on Killyclogher Road outside Omagh in the early hours of Friday morning last week. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker
An ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on Killyclogher Road outside Omagh in the early hours of Friday morning last week. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker An ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on Killyclogher Road outside Omagh in the early hours of Friday morning last week. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker

AN ATM provider has withdrawn its service from a Co Tyrone shop following a spate of cash machine thefts.

NoteMachine had operated a 24-hour ATM service at Hughes Eurospar in Carrickmore.

It comes after a digger was used last week to remove a cash machine from Glendale filling station on Killyclogher Road outside Omagh.

The PSNI is investigating a possible link between six ATM thefts in Northern Ireland in the past six months.

Police have set up a task force aimed at tackling the recent cash machine crime spree.

The ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on the Killyclogher Road outside Omagh. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker
The ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on the Killyclogher Road outside Omagh. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker The ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station on the Killyclogher Road outside Omagh. Picture by Ronan McGrade/Pacemaker

In a post on its Facebook page, Hughes Eurospar Carrickmore said: "Unfortunately due to the recent spate of attacks, NoteMachine has decided to withdraw 24hr ATM services until further notice.

"Cash withdrawals can be made from the Post Office counter inside the store."

The Facebook post included a picture of the ATM with a sign saying "due to recent attacks" that "NoteMachine has decided to withdraw its services for the foreseeable future".

There are concerns other cash machines outside shops in rural areas could be removed in a warning response to the recent raids, the Tyrone Herald reported.

NoteMachine did not respond yesterday when contacted for comment.

CCTV footage from Glendale shows a digger ripping the cash machine from the wall before it is loaded onto the back of a trailer and taken away.

The stolen ATM was discovered at Knockmany Road, Clogher, late on Saturday and was removed for further examination.

Police urged anyone with information about the incident to phone detectives in Omagh on 101, quoting reference number 159 of 15/02/19, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.