More and more Bitcoin ATMs are popping up across the world and sometimes they become a target of wrongdoers. A couple of thieves recently robbed a Bitcoin ATM in Canada. They took around $3,000 out of the machine and what is more interestingly – forgot to take the remaining $37,000.
Bitcoin ATM Robbery In Canada
The place of the heist was a local food market in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Apparently, two thieves decided that the Bitcoin ATM is a valuable target, and as per the reported video, they went straight for it. Even though the police were quick to react and they were at the scene 15 minutes after the alarm, the perpetrators had already escaped. However, according to the store owner, the security cameras managed to record the license place of their vehicle:
“Our security camera caught at least one of their cars drive away, which was a grey Nissan Sentra. The police were also able to catch their license plate too.”
The two robbers stole around $3,000 but could have taken much more. Each of them purportedly grabbed one canister, but they didn’t pay attention to the third one, which contained over $37,000.
Being a victim of this crime, the owner also added that he wouldn’t be keeping the Bitcoin ATM in his store any longer.
Raising Interest for Bitcoin ATMs
The 2017 parabolic price increase in the cryptocurrency market increased the overall interest in the industry. Two years later, it’s significantly easier now to purchase the digital assets online, but it could be done using physical Bitcoin ATMs as well.
The number of such ATMs is gradually increasing over the last few years. Recently, it hit a milestone by surpassing 6,000 in the whole world. Interestingly enough, over 65% of them are based in the U.S., and Canada follows with almost 11%.
The increased number of Bitcoin ATMs might be right for further cryptocurrency adoption as people have another option to make such purchases. FIAT money can be used to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies. That’s why they store a certain amount of money and apparently may attract illicit activities. A video from earlier this year shows that another pair of thieves took the whole Bitcoin ATM, instead of breaking it and stealing just canisters.
