5 busted stealing crypto ATMs in Malaysia

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It was a gutsy heist that is the legend of movies and television, but this story did not have a happy ending as five people were arrested after attempting to steal 85 crypto ATMs from a warehouse in Seremban, Malaysia. The four men and one woman were arrested during a raid early Saturday morning, The Sun Daily reported.

According to the local media outlet, the five broke into a warehouse and stole machines that were valued at RM42,500 (US$10,280). Seremban Police Chief Supt Mohd Said Ibrahim said that all five suspects, two of whom were Indonesian, were apprehended in separate raids hours after the heist. The apprehensions took place in Seremban and Nilai.

Law enforcement officials seized a four-wheel-drive vehicle, a car, and several pieces of equipment used in the heist. In the report, law enforcement officials explained that, “On Oct 29, a shopkeeper lodged a police report following the missing of 85 Bitcoin machines. Subsequently, police conducted raids and arrested suspects, aged between 25 and 46 years.”

In describing the five individuals who were apprehended, the report explained that, “Some of the suspects were working as traders and construction workers while others were unemployed.”

Police alleged that the individuals rented a building next to the warehouse where the bitcoin machines were stored, and then drilled through the concrete wall that connected the two buildings, removing the machines.

According to the police official, “The purpose of the rent was to monitor the movement of the machines and their motive was believed to handle the machines themselves.”

It was not specified in the report whether the machines were recovered as part of the arrest.

None of the individuals had criminal records prior to the incident. Each is being charged under section 457 of the Penal Code in Malaysia. No court date has been set and there has been no report of whether any of the individuals acknowledged their involvement in the heist. The Seremban police chief said the five were “friends” prior to committing the robbery.