Three Poles were arrested in Finland in April after an ATM in Vaala exploded, destroying the machine and the shop, with the same group linked to earlier blasts in Tervajoki and Eura.
Explosion in Small Town and Forest Chase
A blast occurred in the town of Vaala, about 100 km south of Oulu, January early morning. Police received a call after a robbery attempt at an ATM. Witnesses reported a huge explosion and a car that fled the scene carrying a “metal sphere from which sparks flew” The car left the bank quickly, and police found the ATM wreckage on a forest road roughly five kilometres from the shop that housed the device. In the afternoon, the same day, police in a nearby center arrested three Poles.
Professional‑Grade Heist
Investigators say the Vaala attack was meticulously planned. The men used forged licence plates and the car contained spikes that can be thrown to puncture a vehicle’s tyres. The estimated losses are about €85 000, covering stolen money, the destroyed ATM and damage to the shop building. Nearly all banknotes were recovered and seized from the suspects.
Series of Blasts in Finnish Towns
Finnish police connect the same group to two earlier ATM explosions that took place in the autumn of 2024 in Tervajoki near Vaasa and Eura near Pori. In those cases, the perpetrators escaped. Combined losses were roughly €200 000. From the start, investigators believed that foreign criminals were responsible—such incidents are extremely rare in Finland, so the investigation proceeded cautiously.
Ongoing Investigation and Polish Denials
Finnish Police Commissioner Juha‑Pekka Karkkola confirmed that the suspects remain in custody and that cooperation with Polish police continues. The men deny the charges. Police are analysing evidence, including surveillance footage, phone data and traces left at the scene. Finnish prosecutors do not rule out expanding the charges if the suspects’ involvement in other similar cases is confirmed.
