Couple made explosives to blow up ATM to get money to spend in Nghe An

Nghe An Provincial Police said they are detaining four suspects: Nguyen Dinh Thanh (born 1996), Nguyen Van Hiep (born 1999), Luong Van Hoa (born 1996) and Ngan Van Dung (born 1992), all residing in Quy Hop District, to continue investigating and clarifying the ATM explosion in Cua Lo Town.

In which, Thanh and Hiep were identified as the two subjects who directly carried the mine to blow up the ATM, and Hoa and Dung were the two subjects who sold explosives to Thanh.

ATM of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade suddenly exploded. Photo: Thanh Binh

Previously, at around 2:00 a.m. on December 22, 2017, an explosion occurred at the ATM of the Industrial and Commercial Bank, Cua Lo Town branch, causing serious damage to the ATM. Immediately after that, Cua Lo Town Police sent a working group to protect the scene and reported the incident to the Provincial Police leadership.

The Provincial Police Department has sent professional units including PA92, PC45, PC54 and Cua Lo Town Police to investigate and conduct crime scene examination. On December 29, 2017, the Provincial Police Department established Project 127H to focus on investigating and clarifying the case. On January 10, the Cua Lo Town Police Department issued a decision to prosecute the case for the crime of "Property Destruction".

On January 17, Nghia Dan District Police transferred to the PA92 Department the case of two subjects Nguyen Dinh Thanh (born in 1996, residing in Chau Quang Commune, Quy Hop District) and Nguyen Van Hiep (born in 1999, residing in Chau Thai Commune, Quy Hop) for illegal possession of explosives, a homemade mine weighing 1.6 kg, for investigation according to authority.

The explosion almost completely damaged the ATM. Photo: Thanh Binh

At the police station, the two suspects confessed to causing the ATM explosion on December 22, 2017 in Cua Lo Town. Searching the suspects’ residence, the police seized two detonators with slow-burning fuses.

Specifically, Thanh and Hiep confessed that on December 21, 2017, Thanh bought 2kg of industrial explosives, 5 detonators, and 5 pieces of slow-burning wire in Quy Hop and brought them to Thanh's rented room in Vinh City. The two took 2 sticks of explosives to make a homemade mine and took it to blow up an ATM in Cua Lo Town to get money to spend and pay off debts. After causing the explosion but not getting the money, the two fled and rode a motorbike back to their rented room. On January 15, the two made another mine to use to steal a motorbike and were arrested by the police.

Based on the statements of the two suspects, the PA92 Department coordinated with the Nghia Dan District Police to arrest Luong Van Hoa (born in 1996) and Ngan Van Dung (born in 1992), both residing in Chau Quang Commune, Quy Hop District. Hoa and Dung were identified as having sold explosives to Thanh.

Provincial Police leaders award the task force. Photo: Pham Bang

In response to the success of the Task Force, the leaders of Nghe An Police promptly commended and encouraged them. Currently, the task force is being further investigated and prosecuted according to the provisions of law.