Retailer totally frustrated following fourth attack on stores’ ATMs
Attacks on ATMs across his stores has cost a County Armagh retailer approximately £30,000.
Award-winning retailer, Philip Woods has revealed the cost to his business following a fourth attack on ATMs across his stores.
The most recent incident occurred on Thursday 7th August when an attempted theft from an ATM took place at the Woods Centra store on the Dobbin Road area of Portadown.
Shortly before 1.40am on the night police received an alarm notification that the ATM in the forecourt had been tampered with, and despite arriving within minutes of the notification, police found that the suspects had already fled from the area, leaving damage to the housing of the cash machine.
While no money is believed to have been taken, there was damage done to the unit.
Philip, who recently endured the loss of his father, well-known and popular retailer, Neville Woods, said that he is “totally frustrated and angry” with the whole situation.
“The damage has been varied. I’ve had a total knockdown of the ATM bunker with a large digger, a significant hole out of a wall to gain access and there have been two incidents of forcing the reinforced doors open,” Philip told NR.
“It’s probably cost our business somewhere in the region of £30,000 and the ATM providers £40-£50k per machine.
“This is the fourth such attack on our stores – it’s an attack on local communities, on people who rely on cash or are more comfortable using cash, on jobs and on businesses,” added Philip.
Philip said that while he supports the local PSNI in responding to incidents, retail crime in general needs to be addressed.
“There is a clear lack of resource and numbers on the ground to deal with what is happening province-wide,” he said.
“Whether is be attacks on buildings and services, abusing staff or theft, retail businesses need our local politicians, those in power, to support the police service with the increased numbers they need to protect communities.
“Incidents need investigated, perpetrators prosecuted and a clear message – you will be brought before the courts and dealt with appropriately, this will impact your life, job prospects, ability to travel.”
Philip said these continued attacks on ATMs were bringing a real danger to local rural communities.
“How long can the companies that provide these machines sustain this loss until they remove this service altogether?” said Philip.
“There are always new security elements and features being introduced for early detection and so on, but if they rock up with a digger and are in and out in 90 seconds, it’s very hard to do anything to prevent further attacks.”
A PSNI spokesperson previously told NR that police took all incidents of retail crime very seriously and continued to encourage business owners to contact them.
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Business Crime Team remains dedicated to working with the community to address and reduce these offences,” said Chief Inspector Pete Cunningham.
“The PSNI remains committed to tackling offences against businesses through a combination of prevention, enforcement and partnership working. This is not just a policing issue – it requires a multi-agency approach to ensure Northern Ireland’s retail sector remains safe for workers and shoppers alike.”
