What’s Happening with Bitcoin ATMs?
It seems that Bitcoin ATMs are now on the radar of some of the most unpredictable criminals. On August 3rd, a Bitcoin ATM was taken from a mall in Washington D.C., and undoubtedly, the thieves thought they were pulling off a heist straight out of a heist movie. Someone should really tell them that life isn’t Grand Theft Auto.
The Brazen Theft
According to reports from Finnish news outlet Ilta Sanomat, the incident was caught on tape, showcasing the absolutely daring approach taken by the alleged thieves. The duo waited for the perfect moment—when the shops had closed but the mall was still bustling. You know, typical spooky activity. They strolled in, chatted with the imaginary mall cops (we assume), and then proceeded to load up the Bitcoin ATM into a van—like they were collecting a prize at the state fair.
Surveillance Footage: Not Your Average Security
Based on surveillance footage, these two ninjas of the night made it look effortless. They seemed so at ease that shopping mall security probably thought they were the newest influencers on the block, ready to post their ‘ATM come up’ highlight on social media.
Not the First ATM Abduction
Let’s not forget that this isn’t the first time folks have attempted to haul off Bitcoin ATMs. Just last month, a gang of masked bandits in Birmingham, England, attempted a similar caper. Imagine that—a group of friends deciding that stealing a Bitcoin ATM was a fun Saturday night activity. They even brought a rope, as if they were planning to tow it like a broken-down car!
Who’s Doing the Math?
Interestingly, the Bitcoin ATM heist in Washington wasn’t discovered until a week later. That’s right—one week! Either the authorities were busy or the mall hasn’t updated its security monitoring protocols since the inception of the smartphone. After this delay, the police decided to get in touch with Coinme, the company behind the ATM operation, to share the unfortunate news of their missing machine.
The State of Bitcoin ATMs
As of June this year, the world welcomed over 5,000 Bitcoin ATMs, and yet here we are, witnessing a bizarre trend of thefts. It’s almost as if these criminals didn’t realize that cryptocurrency is meant to be secure, not machine-napped. The rise of digital currency has certainly led to its fair share of drama beyond the blockchain!
Final Thoughts
As Bitcoin continues to pave the future of currency, let’s hope that the ATMs are given a good security upgrade—preferably something more robust than, say, a vague “beware of thieves” sign. After all, if we’re going to push forwards into a digital currency future, let’s do it without the antics of ATM snatchers! Here’s to hoping that next time, they’re caught before they can drive off into the sunset.
