In North Rhine-Westphalia, shots were fired twice within a few hours after ATMs were blown up.

Early Friday morning, several men blew up a cash dispenser in Ibbenbüren, Münsterland.

Police officers tried to block their way at a nearby entrance to Autobahn 30 in the direction of the Netherlands.

When the perpetrators made a beeline for a police officer, he jumped to the side and fired several shots at the getaway vehicle, which was speeding away in the direction of Amsterdam.

Pure burger

Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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A good 24 hours earlier, a patrol car crew had surprised three perpetrators after blowing up an ATM in a Sparkasse branch in Castrop-Rauxel.

According to previous knowledge, there was an exchange of gunfire.

While officers were unharmed, one of the suspects was hit by a police bullet and taken to a hospital.

There was no danger to life.

The other two men were able to escape in a highly powered getaway vehicle, which was later found in a wooded area not far away.

Because the number of explosive attacks has increased sharply in recent months, the North Rhine-Westphalian security authorities are trying to change their strategy.

Since February, every available patrol car has been on the street at night - which, as in Castrop-Rauxel, has repeatedly led to perpetrators being caught red-handed.

For a few weeks now, the special commission "Begas" has been in place in the Ministry of the Interior, which not only analyzes what needs to be improved in investigations, searches and - together with the financial institutions - in prevention, but is also intended to improve cooperation with the Dutch authorities.

Because, as the two cases from Ibbenbüren and Castrop-Rauxel make clear, a large proportion of the unscrupulous demolition gangs still come from Holland.